Man sued for $30K over $40 printer he sold on Craigslist

[Slew Foot]

Except they did. They told the guy he needs to stop filing shit like this but they still let him.

Hell the case was thrown the fuck out, so he just filed another even more ridiculous one. Why is there zero fucking oversight about this?

Because this country is run by asshole politicians, who in a former life were asshole lawyers.

 

[paperfist]

Man I can't even get my restocking fee refunded on a defective item and this guy is going to be rich off a $40 printer.

 

[KK]

fucker should be killed.





No, these over the top comments need to stop.


esquared
Anandtech Forum Director

 

[StrangerGuy]

All these frivolous lawsuits won't be a problem if losers paid everything.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I'm simply amazed this guy hasn't been barred from filing suits. I forgot what its called and I know its hard to accomplish but that thing where any suit has to be approved by a Judge(?) before it proceeds because the filer has so many failures.
I wonder if Obama issued a Presidential Pardon to this guy is anyone would get upset besides the Ukrainian guy?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

All these frivolous lawsuits won't be a problem if losers paid everything.

I've thought this too but it also would make a suit against a large company too risky for anyone to attempt. They'd claim millions in expenses for their lawyers and brand damage to any suit.

 

[sdifox]

hammer to all his fingers and toes

 

[JTsyo]

What kind of judge would let this BS ride?

 

[desura]

The Chinese are smarter.

 

[Darwin333]

"The justices cited a "three strikes statute" which prohibits offenders who've had three lawsuits dismissed from filing a new complaint "unless they are in immediate danger of bodily injury."

How the hell has this guy not ran into the three strikes statute?

 

[Darwin333]

This is very, very simple to fix. Whenever a case is thrown out as groundless or frivolous, the defendant gets to ask the judge, on the spot, for the person who filed the case to pay all legal fees and equal damages.

Just the THREAT of that should fix this issue.

As long as there is no repercussion for filing frivolous lawsuits, it will continue.

We would need a very strict definition of frivolous but depending on the definition I could definitely get behind something like this. I would have said that we should even give everyone a few chances before throwing the above at them just to be on the safe side but evidently there was already a "3 strike rule" in place in the state that should have barred him from anymore lawsuits except under threat of bodily harm. Obviously the 3 strike rule isn't working as intended.

 

[Mursilis]

This is very, very simple to fix. Whenever a case is thrown out as groundless or frivolous, the defendant gets to ask the judge, on the spot, for the person who filed the case to pay all legal fees and equal damages.

Just the THREAT of that should fix this issue.

As long as there is no repercussion for filing frivolous lawsuits, it will continue.

In most U.S. court systems, a judge already has the power to sanction parties filing frivolous suits - they just don't use this power nearly enough. At the federal level, see Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Many states have similar rules.

 

[TheGardener]

I wouldn't respond either, but then again I don't live in a country where the legal system is quite so open to abuse.

Everyone else is coming here. Why not you?

The problem here is that the guy didn't understand that you can't expect to sell a used black and white printer and get paid $40. Greed will always bite you in the ass.

No good ever came from buying, selling or "dating" on Craig's List.

 

[preCRT]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ls-prolific-litigant-enoughs-enough/16557777/

Court to prolific litigant: Enough's enough
Tim Evans, The Indianapolis Star 7:18 p.m. EDT October 1, 2014


INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man who has filed more than 120 lawsuits since 2008 got a stern message this week from the Indiana Supreme Court.

Enough's enough, the justices told Gersh Zavodnik.

The state's high court, in an order issued Tuesday, called Zavodnik "a prolific, abusive litigant" and put him on notice. In the unanimous ruling, the five justices warned the Ukraine-born U.S. citizen that he "can expect any further abusive litigation practices ... to be met with appropriate sanctions and restrictions."

Zavodnik could face fines, criminal charges or a prohibition on filing new lawsuits unless he is in "immediate danger of bodily injury," the justices warned...

He's still doing this crap, why hasn't someone countersued or thrown him in jail for contempt of court in Indy?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I wouldn't respond either, but then again I don't live in a country where the legal system is quite so open to abuse.

Please don't take offense. You're doing the foreign guy thing thinking everyone regularly sues and gets sued in America. I'd wager ignoring traffic court which isn't a real court its more about disputing fines and divorce court which is about splitting assets. I'd bet that nearly every AT member has never been sued or had a suit filed against them.
In my life I can only think of one guy (maybe two) that were ever to court for some kind of liability. Both owned businesses. One was when I was very young I kind of remember my Parents talking to him about it.

 

[Darwin333]

Please don't take offense. You're doing the foreign guy thing thinking everyone regularly sues and gets sued in America. I'd wager ignoring traffic court which isn't a real court its more about disputing fines and divorce court which is about splitting assets. I'd bet that nearly every AT member has never been sued or had a suit filed against them.
In my life I can only think of one guy (maybe two) that were ever to court for some kind of liability. Both owned businesses. One was when I was very young I kind of remember my Parents talking to him about it.

Both as a business owner and working as a project manager I can attest that we got all kinds of frivolous lawsuits. The problem is that you have these asshole lawyers who NEVER see the inside of a courtroom. They know damn well that they can send you a letter and either the company or their insurance (usually) will cut them a $10,000 check to make them go away. It's simply cheaper then actually fighting the case. My old boss would actually fight the overly frivolous ones and basically dare the lawyer to take it to court. Still cost a bunch of money to have our lawyer do all of the responding and shit.

It's a serious racket and you have all kinds of people looking to cash in. When in my company truck you wouldn't believe the amount of people that would cut me off and slam on their brakes trying to get me to hit them. It is completely irrelevant whose fault any accident is when you are in a company vehicle. The police report can list the other driver as having no license and 3 times the legal blood alcohol and they will still sue and get some money. We have to give a yearly refresher course to all of our drivers and potential drivers solely on documenting an accident because typically the lawyers will wait 6-9 months before suing so details are foggy to the driver and they will start adding 2 or 3 occupants to the vehicle, especially kids, that weren't there to juice up their claim. The lawyers go so far as finding sympathetic doctors who they send their clients to so the injuries are trumped up.


Had one case where one of trucks bumped into a car in a drive through, truck was doing maybe 2-3mph at the most (his foot slipped off the brake and it idled into them) causing $200 damage to the bumper of the car and no damage to the truck. 10 months later we get a lawsuit stating that not only did both passengers receive numerous injuries but they were suing for additional damages because the husband was no longer able to have sex with his wife due to the trauma he received from the accident. I think they wanted $150K or something and wound up taking the standard $10,000. They love to scare you with big numbers but at least when dealing with actual lawyers always remember if the case really is bullshit then there is a 99% chance they will never take you to court. Unfortunately I would never suggest corresponding with the lawyer yourself, you really need your own legal representation or they will kill you with legalese bullshit.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Everyone else is coming here. Why not you?

The problem here is that the guy didn't understand that you can't expect to sell a used black and white printer and get paid $40. Greed will always bite you in the ass.

No good ever came from buying, selling or "dating" on Craig's List.

The used tires I bought for my last car that just needed another year before replacement worked out pretty well

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Both as a business owner and working as a project manager I can attest that we got all kinds of frivolous lawsuits. The problem is that you have these asshole lawyers who NEVER see the inside of a courtroom. They know damn well that they can send you a letter and either the company or their insurance (usually) will cut them a $10,000 check to make them go away. It's simply cheaper then actually fighting the case. My old boss would actually fight the overly frivolous ones and basically dare the lawyer to take it to court. Still cost a bunch of money to have our lawyer do all of the responding and shit.

It's a serious racket and you have all kinds of people looking to cash in. When in my company truck you wouldn't believe the amount of people that would cut me off and slam on their brakes trying to get me to hit them. It is completely irrelevant whose fault any accident is when you are in a company vehicle. The police report can list the other driver as having no license and 3 times the legal blood alcohol and they will still sue and get some money. We have to give a yearly refresher course to all of our drivers and potential drivers solely on documenting an accident because typically the lawyers will wait 6-9 months before suing so details are foggy to the driver and they will start adding 2 or 3 occupants to the vehicle, especially kids, that weren't there to juice up their claim. The lawyers go so far as finding sympathetic doctors who they send their clients to so the injuries are trumped up.


Had one case where one of trucks bumped into a car in a drive through, truck was doing maybe 2-3mph at the most (his foot slipped off the brake and it idled into them) causing $200 damage to the bumper of the car and no damage to the truck. 10 months later we get a lawsuit stating that not only did both passengers receive numerous injuries but they were suing for additional damages because the husband was no longer able to have sex with his wife due to the trauma he received from the accident. I think they wanted $150K or something and wound up taking the standard $10,000. They love to scare you with big numbers but at least when dealing with actual lawyers always remember if the case really is bullshit then there is a 99% chance they will never take you to court. Unfortunately I would never suggest corresponding with the lawyer yourself, you really need your own legal representation or they will kill you with legalese bullshit.

I get this. I'm just saying as an individual not a business

 

[JSt0rm]

This mother fucker would end up in the mojave if he did this to me.

 

[Imp]

Step 1) Don't provide ID and address when selling shit on Craigslist...

I agree, I use a fake name and alternate email with fake name. Phone has no name on the voicemail. However, it could all be traced back to me, and I've had to sell large items that can only be picked up where I live.

 

[clamum]

Scum like Zavodnik need to be thrown into a tire fire.

 

[TwiceOver]

So this guy likes used printers eh?

I have a few that I should send him for free just because.

 

[Lyfer]

Murica Fvck yeah!

 

[Paladin3]

This mother fucker would end up in the mojave if he did this to me.

I was thinking the same thing, but I noticed one mod already deleted a comment and suggested such "over the top" comments need to stop.

Stories like this one bring up a very serious debate. Society generally agrees that human lives are precious and are to be protected, often at great cost and risking other lives in the process. This is wonderful in a caring, loving, cooperative society and benefits all. With that in mind, when does someone's actions and their proven unwillingness to play nice with society rise to the level where it's no longer worth keeping them around?

If you read the "Enough's Enough" story, it looks like this guy is used to breaking knees in Russia to get what he wants, but felt it would be easier and more profitable to immigrate and abuse the US legal system. How precious is the life of a person like that?

I understand I'm talking about murder and murder is bad, but sometimes you have to cull an unhealthy herd or it dies. So, is hoping he gets shot "over the top" or just saying out loud what everyone is thinking?

 

[rh71]

On the flip side, only buy stuff that you can test on the spot.

But I get that this buyer is a scammer to begin with.