Lawyers spoil fun

Families and kids who found summertime fun and enjoyment each year at the Krystal River Water Park in Evans will have to find somewhere else to cool off in the months ahead.

ADVERTISEMENT

Have a thought? Go to the Forums or Chat.

Subscribe  E-mail this story  Write a letter to the Editor  Printer-friendly version  Get news on your PDA  Get e-mail headlines

The park is closing up shop because its liability insurance costs jumped from $8,000 a month to a whopping $58,000 a month. Customers couldn't possibly afford to pay the higher admission price park owner Ken Edwards would have to charge to offset the 700-percent premium increase.

Insurance rates are supposed to be keyed to protect the water park's management and customers from medical and pain-and-suffering expenses in the event of accidental injury or death.

But what's happened with regard to the Evans water park, and many other such playground facilities, is that insurance rates are keyed to protect the business from rapacious lawyers.

Lawyers' lobbies will say not so - that "greedy" insurance firms raise their rates through the roof to recover losses they suffered during downturns in the economy and equity markets.

However, that explanation doesn't fly. Insurance companies, like any business, know they can't improve their bottom line by raising rates so high their clients can't afford to pay. Losing customers is no way to win back Wall Street losses.

Insurance companies raise their rates 700 percent when they know that's what they must charge to keep plaintiffs' wolves from their door - even if it forces some clients out of business.

Don't blame this summer's dried up water park in Evans on insurers. Blame it on our litigious society.

Many lawyers' idea of fun is to destroy everyone else's fun. And if you want to do something about it, push for tort reform in Congress now and next January in the General Assembly.

--From the Monday, May 12, 2003 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle