Thursday, October 15, 2015

American Museum of Tort Law Opens

            Ralph Nader (political activist/attorney) recently opened the American Museum of Tort Law in Winsted, Connecticut, with an opening ceremony that featured speeches from former Attorney General Ramsey Clark and musician/artist Patti Smith.  According to Erik Eckholm in a recent article about the museum featured in the New York Times ("Ralph Nader's Tort Law Museum Seeks to Keep His Crusade Evergreen," dated September 25, 2015), Mr. Nadar hopes the museum would teach a new generation about the vital benefits of personal injury lawsuits, and the hard-fought history of consumer protections that are now taken for granted and under assault.

            According to the article, Mr. Nader states that “tort law is being run into the ground, maligned, caricatured and slandered because it’s effective,” and Mr. Nader described the conservative agenda of tort reform (which seeks limits on lawsuits and financial awards) as “the cruelest movement I’ve ever encountered."  

            Particularly, the article notes that the museum aims to describe the evolution of the law regarding negligence and liability, and it features some of the most groundbreaking cases of the late 20th century (which include decisions involving the Dalkon Shield [a dangerous intrauterine device], and the Ford Pinto [whose gas tank was prone to explosive burning in accidents], as well as the historic lawsuits pertaining to tobacco companies and the asbestos industry) by way of displays, exhibits and re-enactments of famous trials.

Salvatore R. Marino, Esq.