Racing Lawsuits Filed

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MAINIAC

New Member
While looking at my weekly newspaper, The Madison-St. Clair Record" dated August 29th, which is dedicated to the many lawsuits filed in the two county's, I came across these two items: Driving Instructor sued by former student for crashing Saab and Injured race car driver claims he wasn't warned of serious collision consequences. The second article mentioned involved former TCS Hornet driver Mel Perkins who claims injuries in a 15-count suit on a racing accident on August 23 of 2003. He's asking at least 3/4's of a million dollars. Perkins claims that the injuries were causded by the defendants (Racer Components, Racer's Choice and Lowe Performance) failure to include adequate warnings that would alert him to serious consequences of a collision. Perkin's also claims the restraint assemblies and racing seats were not properly tested before being marketed. In the first suit the driving instructor, who was working for Phil Wicks Driving Academy at Gateway is being sued after he reportedly crashed a former student's 2001 Saab 93 turbo during a lap around the track, again, reportedly injuring the owners of the car who was in the passenger seat. The car's owner is seeking in access of 30-grand! Your thoughts on these two stories. By the way you can take a look at the newspaper by going to www.madisonrecord.com.
 
If You Look Close To Most New Racecar Chassis. They Have A Disclaimer On Them. Chassis Builders Have Been Sued Because Guys Have Gotten Hurt While Driving One Of Their Cars.
 
Mel raced an EXP he built himself. Broke his neck a couple years ago when he hit the tires at the end of the front straight at TCS. Mel's "serious consequences of a collision" are a direct result of his own lack of forethought about that collision, i.e. he raced with an old open face helmet and that was about it for safety for Mel. I feel sorry for him in that he got hurt just having fun, but to hear he is now filing suit and making it someone else's fault is just laughable. It is exactly the kind of BS money grabbing suit that clogs up the courts and wastes everyone's time. Had he had on a reasonable full face helmet and neck collar, he would probably still be out there racing today.
 
Failed to warn them of the consequences of a serious collision? What kind of stupid crap is that? I know damn well if I'm hauling full tilt around a track and hit something stationary, I could very well get hurt. No one "needs" to tell me that. If you drive a race car, or enter a race track, then you are taking the assumed risk.
 
ok... let's see here... We are at a race track, being held by a 5/6 point harness(hopefully) and I am going to race someone... Let's see I don't think there are any risks are here are there? PLEASE use some common sense, rule mel unable to testify against these places by rule of mental defect. I raced again Mel Perkins, when I was driving Hornets the first year they were around, I was 15 and he got mad because Chris Durbin spanked him on the track... Sorry to hear that he was hurt on the track, of course, BUT you are racing... there is some dangers involved...
 
MAINIAC said:
The second article mentioned involved former TCS Hornet driver Mel Perkins who claims injuries in a 15-count suit on a racing accident on August 23 of 2003..
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It's taken him over two years to file suit. I think it's likely that I'm not the only one who wonders about the timing here. With the general public--read, the jury pool for this trial--perhaps more disposed towards a negative view of racing's safety following the MVN incident, I'm thinking that he feels now is the time to try this crap.

Hopefully the Judge will throw this case out faster than one can say "case dismissed." But I doubt that will happen.
 
What a joke of a lawsuit. Come to think of it most lawsuits are a joke. Too many lawyers already in the world and rediculous greedy suits like this one just add more to the lawyer pool. Racers who sue are the lowest of the losers.

Rod
 
Racer14K said:
Just people trying to make a fast buck to retire early !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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LOL Is that how you do it, If I would have known that I could have retired years ago. LOL LOL


jumpinjackdw
Dave Wulf
 
2.5 Years Ago I Broke My Neck At I 55 . It Was Pretty Hard Times. If It Wasnt For The Insurance I Would Have Been In Trouble ! The 40 Bucks I Spent For A Membership With Allied Was Worth 130,000 Grand But My Insurance Paid For 90% And The Track Paid The Rest! When They Passed The Helmet For Me That Paid The Bills . Alot Of People Told Me To Sue There Butts Off And The Only Thing Wasi Knew The Risk Going In To It !!! I Guess I Could Have Sued My Self For Not Wearing My Neck Brace
 
I raced against Mel when I ran my Pro-4/hornet/whatever.. Can't say I was too impressed on or off the track, but this is almost as stupid as the lady who sued McDonalds for spilling coffee on herself.. I think we need to ink the word TARD on their foreheads :-\
 
I was there that night heck ole Mel even refused medical treatment at the track and now he's sueing. What an inbred.
 
T.C. Springer said:
I raced against Mel when I ran my Pro-4/hornet/whatever.. Can't say I was too impressed on or off the track, but this is almost as stupid as the lady who sued McDonalds for spilling coffee on herself.. I think we need to ink the word TARD on their foreheads :-\
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Aah, the infamous coffe case. I have researched that. Actually, that was really a very solid case, and prompted McDonalds to start serving coffee at a temperature it could be drunk at, instead of a liquid substance in a cup capable of killing you if you drank it.

If you would like, I can recap the highlights of that case, maybe explain to you the numerous surgeries the lady had to go through to repair her badly injured legs, and then having to live with the constant pain from the deep penetrating burns she received. Also relevant in that case was the incredible number of other customers who had already been badly burned and scarred from McDonalds coffee before her, all of whom settled out of court with McDonalds before this lady finally took it all the way.

Mel breaking his neck compared to that really makes Mel look very foolish indeed. The coffe case was rock solid; it just sounds stupid on the face of it.
 
Fans of any sport do not like lawsuits in their favorite sport because of what that lawsuit potentially can do to their sport.

Not all lawsuits are filed purely to receive large amounts of compensation.

You have to know the INTENT of the individual filing the lawsuit FIRST to know WHY the lawsuit was filed. (One family I know thinks calling one another "creep" is a term of endearment. If you aren't familiar with that family's language and they call you a creep you might be ready to fight or at the very least you might be insulted. Once you understand how they meant it......their intent......you view "creep" differently when you are around them.)

You also have to know what type of legal counsel the individual(s) are being given (who is feeding their head and what is their motive).

You also have to understand the system(s)....the legal system, the insurance system, etc. and why sometimes you have to file a lawsuit to get something you'd think you should be able to get (and I don't mean money) WITHOUT having to file suit.

Do you really expect those who file a lawsuit to get on the WORLD Wide Web and state their intent?

Do you think it is any more beneficial to your favorite sport to get on the WORLD Wide Web and call one another names or offer your opinions on lawsuits?

UNDERSTAND WHAT IS SAID ON THIS OR ANY OTHER WEBSITE CAN BE USED IN A COURT OF LAW AND CAN BE UPHELD.

Do you want what you consider to be an innocent comment on a website to suddenly involve you and potentially your family in a court case?

What you say here is literally broadcast to the WORLD. Be a good representative of your sport and watch it grow.
 
t.nie said:
Aah, the infamous coffe case. I have researched that. Actually, that was really a very solid case, and prompted McDonalds to start serving coffee at a temperature it could be drunk at, instead of a liquid substance in a cup capable of killing you if you drank it.

If you would like, I can recap the highlights of that case,
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Actually, if you don't mind, I'd like to take you up on your offer. You can PM it to me, if you'd like. Or was that just a generalized statement to make me feel bad? :-D
 
The fact that the lawsuit was not filed for two years has nothing to do with Mt. Vernon. It has to do with the way the system works and the time periods allowed for filing suit. As for the McDonalds suit, I have read it as well, but I would not call it rock solid. In fact, unless memory serves me incorrectly, the appeals courts reduced the jury awards so much that after attorney's fees and medical expenses, the woman did not get a whole lot of money. Now excuse me while I go call my lawyer to see about filing suit against all of you for failure to properly warn me that continued typing on this site could give me carpal tunnel syndrome. :D
 
Ok, I'll pull out all my old McDonalds research when I get the time, and post as much about it as I can on here, along with links to legal sites for reference. Give me some time, though, I am quite busy at the moment.
 
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