FN-FORUM: OT: Friday fun

date posted 20th August 2004 14:45

Subject: semi-believable lawyer story


> (Not sure if it is really a true story!)
>
>
> A Charlotte, NC, lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive
> cigars, then insured them against fire among other things. Within a
> month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars and
> without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy,
> the lawyer filed claim against the insurance commpany. In his claim, the
> lawyer stated the cigars were lost "in a series of small fires." The
> insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason: that the
> man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.
>
> The lawyer sued...and won!
>
> In delivering the ruling the judge agreed with the insurance company
> that the claim was frivolous. The Judge stated nevertheless, that the
> lawyer held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the
> cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them
> against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable
> fire, and was obligated to pay the claim.
>
> Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance
> company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss
> of the rare cigars lost in the "fires."
>
> NOW FOR THE BEST PART
>
> After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him
> arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!!! With his own insurance claim and
> testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was
> convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was
> sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine. This is a true story
> and was the 1st place winner in the recent Criminal Lawyers Award
> Contest
>