Re: [AGA SC] Re: AGA Goals (fwd)

["S. Hieber" <shieber@yahoo.com>]

I think that's right on the mark. Assuming we are innocent,
the costs at risk won't be multimillion dollar awards but
legal defense costs or settlement of a nuiscance.

The other thing to keep in mind is that, if actuaries are
hesitant to quantify due to a lack of data, then the
occurences have been extremely low, and I would suggest
then that the probability is very low. Much more like the
risk of an air crash than the risk of a car crash. Or to
keep to a closer metaphor, more like the risk of a shark
attack.

A lawyer will not be in a position to assess the
probability of occurence, only the extent of cost if
something happens. So an attorney can only give half the
answer to "What's the risk?"

sh


--- Kathy Olson <kathy@thekrib.com> wrote:
> . . .  We
> are NOT dealing 
> with that here . . . in a
> life or limb 
> situation.  The main thing I would see is the libel
> issue.  Again, maybe a 
> good sign up on the forum..saying when someone agrees to
> be a part of it, 
> get their name/post that they acknowledge that the
> opinions expressed here 
> are soley those of the individual...blah..blah...blah and
> not those of the 
> AGA.
> 
> Again, from what I see, we all carry much more LIABILITY
> risk by driving 
> our cars.  Much worse potential for causing harm to
> another individual 
> (god forbid) than the AGA would ever do on the internet. 
> It is basically 
> having coverage that would pay the legal fees in case
> some crazy person 
> out there decided to go for the AGA.  (again no money
> there really either 
> and they would have to pay a butt load of legal fees too,
> that would stop 
> most people).  So I think our risk is small.
> 
> The other problem that I realized when researching the
> NOVAK thing with 
> Erik...and I got us the attorney that charged us 1,000 to
> write a one page 
> letter...eeeek!!  (and talked with EFF, Electronic
> Frontiers Foundation 
> who only does law stuff on internet)...the PROBLEM is
> that web/internet is 
> so new that there are no precedents. 
> Lawyers/courts/judges are really in 
> a new territory here, so people really don't know.  Not
> enough info yet.  
> We/I went to an attorney at a big firm here in Seattle to
> the lawyer who 
> specialized in internet law.  We never walked in the door
> of the firm.  We 
> talked for less than 10 min on the phone, and that was
> 1,000.  
>  
> I would say exploit the friend contact where we can to
> get a much better 
> idea before we ever think of talking with an attorney. 
> When it comes to 
> time to talk to them, we need carefully thought out
> questions, or things 
> we want them to address to minimize the cost.  This stuff
> is pretty pricey 
> and unfortunately the cheap ones...there is a reason
> perhaps why they 
> aren't at the big firm.
>

=====
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AGA 2004 Annual Convention
Designing The Nature Aquarium -- demonstrated by Takashi Amano
Paludarium design  -- Mike Senske
Planted Aquarium Ecology  -- Diana Walstad
Cryptocorynes -- Jan D. Bastmeijer 
Field Trip, workshops and more, Nov 12, 13 & 14; 
Marriott Crystal Gateway, Arlington, VA, USA
Details & Registration at www.aquatic-gardeners.org  & www.gwapa.org


        
                
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