OT: (Not really) Yummy Chinese furniture.

[Robatoy]

LONDON?A British court says hundreds of people who received chemical burns from leather sofas will share 20 million pounds, or about $30 million, in compensation. The customers took legal action after claiming of skin and eye complaints or breathing difficulties from the Chinese-made furniture, dubbed ³toxic sofas.² The problems were blamed on dimethyl fumarate, a fungicide designed to stop the furniture from becoming mouldy. The European Union banned the chemical last year. Lawyers told a judge at London¹s High Court on Monday that agreement had been reached between the plaintiffs and a company that owns several furniture retailers. It will see 1,650 victims receive up to 9,000 pounds, or about $14,000, apiece. Legal action continues in 3,000 other cases.

[Rumple Stiltskin]

Wonder how much the lawyers get. Ever notice the press rarely shares that information?

[Robatoy]

Between one third and one half.

[Robert Bonomi]

In this case, all one has to do is read the article. :)

A 20,000,000 Sterling settlement, with 1650 victims at 9,000 sterling ea. That's a 14.8 million Sterling distribution. Presumably the other 5+ million Sterling is going to the lawyers.

The victims look to be getting 3x what the lawyers are. That's a better ratio than a lot of U.S. cases.

[Dave In Texas]

Oh, yeah, there's a prime example of yet another ambulance chasing scumbag lawyer, frivolous law suit (did I mention LIBERAL scumbag lawyer?). In the U.S., normal attorney compensation is a third, sometimes 40%. It could also be that the attorney(s) took the case on a contingency basis; the lawyers are covering all the expenses in taking the case and if they lose, they get nothing.

Dave in Houston