Nine more melamine trials in China

Can you imagine a civil justice system where a milk producer would be allowed to manufacture infant baby formula so poisonous that your infant would develop kidney stones or go into kidney failure and the Courts would dismiss your case; or the government that is supposed to protect your child, orders the responsible companies to pay you a measly $290.00 USD (2,000 Yuan) or if your child was really sick with kidney failure $4,350.00 USD (30,000 Yuan).

This is pathetic. Chinese lawyers sued 63 defendants seeking 14 million Yuan in compensation ($2,030,000.00 USD) and the Chinese Courts dismissed the case. The Associated Press reports the following:

“Lawyers seeking to bring a lawsuit against the companies involved say they understand that most children who suffered kidney stones from the tainted milk would get 2,000 yuan ($290), while sicker children would be paid 30,000 yuan.

Chinese courts have rejected all claims filed by the victims' families, including a lawsuit initiated this month by lawyers representing 63 defendants that sought nearly 14 million yuan in compensation from Sanlu.”

This is exactly the system tort reformers want you to buy into. Whether it’s the American Tort Reform Association, What is Tort Reform, Anyway or the American Chamber of Commerce if left unchecked they would do exactly what the Bush Administration did to the banking regulatory system in this country.