It's the Lawyers' World and We Just Die In It

This is what comes of being a nation of lawyers, not men:

“60 Minutes” correspondent Bob Simon was responsible for his own death, the limousine company being sued for the crash that killed him insists in galling new court papers. Simon, 73, understood “all risks and dangers” and “assumed the risk” when he climbed into the back seat of a Lincoln Town Car last February, Skyline Credit Ride says in the Manhattan Supreme Court filing.

Once inside, the legendary newsman “failed to use or misused available seat belts, and thereby contributed to the alleged injuries,” the company claims — an allegation Simon’s side flatly disputes. His behavior constituted “culpable conduct of the plaintiff,” according to the court papers, which claim — without elaborating — that Simon’s injuries were made worse by his “failure to mitigate such injury.”

Given the nature of the society we live in today, but outrageous and entirely believable. From the White House to the outhouse wherein dwell the nation’s lawyers, the Blame Game is the only game in town.

Yet the filing ignores the issue of the black-car driver’s ability — or lack thereof. The driver, Abdul Reshad Fedahi, 44, had nine license suspensions and two speeding convictions on his record — and was driving with one hand because his right arm had been rendered useless due to a suicide attempt.

I hope Simon’s widow takes these guys to the cleaners.