Posted on 05/19/2006 4:22:23 AM PDT by Man50D
NEWARK, N.J. -- New Jersey's Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously ruled that illegal immigrants injured by uninsured drivers can have medical costs covered by a fund whose money comes from insurance fees.
The 7-0 decision by New Jersey highest court, which reverses two lower court rulings, comes as lawmakers in Washington and Trenton consider how to deal with illegal immigration.
It's a victory for a lot of injured people who were being denied benefits because they are not legal residents," said Victor M. Covelli, a lawyer for Victor Manuel Caballero, a Mexican who was a car passenger when hurt in 2001, five months after he came to live with family members in Bradley Beach.
The decision could have statewide financial impact. Covelli said he had 20 clients who might now qualify for benefits. New Jersey has about 360,000 illegal immigrants, or about 4 percent of the population, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
When are people going to start impeaching these morons?
What about payments to American citizens who are injured by uninsured illegal criminal alien drivers?
"What about payments to American citizens who are injured by uninsured illegal criminal alien drivers?"
DING DING DING!!! We have a winner!
How about compensation for those KILLED by uninsured illegal criminal alien drivers?
I'm sure we will read tomorrow of his employer's arrest and fine.
When I lived in Boston, in 1983, my driveway was paved by illegals. They had a fleet of trucks, with their name on the side, and an office with their name in the window. They had an ad in the Yellow Pages.
Cash only, of course.
What they did not have were the 57 permits Massachusetts requires to start and run a business, income tax, unemployment tax, Mass Jobs Bank tax, Mass Healthy Start tax, Mass required business insurance, etc, etc, etc.
Paying your taxes and obeying the law is one thing. But when citizens are the only ones who have to do that, it makes much less sense.
I am speechless!
The money will not come from a "fund". The money will come from every driver in New Jersey who follows the law and pays his insurance. New Jersey has the highest insurance rates in the country, and this will make them even higher.
BTW, did you know that most of the "Swoop and Squat" type insurance fraud scams are pulled by illegal aliens? They are catching on to the scams real quick. Come to America and hit the litigation lottery.
I thought people weren't supposed to benefit by illegal acts. Time to start throwing some of these guys out of office.
Illegals can and are suing American citizens in American courts, sometimes reaping millions of dollars. So the next time some uninsured illegal slams on his brakes in front of you, get ready for a law suit.
American citizens just don't count.
What they also did not have, surely, was Workman's Compensation Insurance and Liability Insurance. If one of those workmen strains his back, guess who the attorney is going to look at to pay the bill?
Most of these illegals work as "independent contractors" of the company that hires them. If the homeowner is paying in cash, this money is distributed to the worker directly, and the employer/employee relationship is established between the homeowner and the worker through the payment of this money. The company is just the shell that arranges the work.
When the employee hurts himself, it is the employer, i.e. the homeowner, who is responsible. If the employee was not issued proper safety gear or was working in a dangerous manner, it is the employer, the homeowner, who was negligent. And there is the nice, big, expensive house, just sitting there, to put a lien on to guarantee payment.
Anybody who hires illegals to work on his house should have his head examined. He might save a couple of bucks by paying sub-minimum wage, but he puts his entire property at risk.
Exactly!
Anyone getting the message that we the taxpaying voters are totally irrelevant, unimportant and are ignored by Washington?
I agree.
I had no idea until they asked for the cash.
Oh please have you no compassion? How dare you expect illegals to pay for their own liabilities. We should now pass a National Illegal Alien Welcome to America Driver Liability Amnesty Act to cover those poor unfortunate drivers where Americans got in their way. I'm certain McCain will sponsor it. /sarcasm
This just burns me up. My brother just had his car totalled by an uninsured, unlicensed illegal "visitor". If he were in NJ, I suppose the driver at fault could be compensated for "injuries" in addition to destroying my brother's property. No compensation for my bro, though - just higher insurance rates.
However, this decision also flies in the face of one of my key points (Point #1, in fact) for addressing the problem of illegal immigration in this country.
1. Illegal immigrants should be denied the ability to file suit in U.S. civil courts.
2. Illegal immigrants should have summary judgements rendered against them in any valid civil suit filed against them (i.e., all property and assets must be seized and turned over to the plaintiff).
3. Illegal immigrants who are charged with crimes should be tried before military tribunals, not in our criminal justice system. A person who crosses the border illegally and commits a crime here in the U.S. is not a "criminal" in any sense of the word -- he's a freakin' invader.
In 1983, it was probably not too much of a problem. But, nowadays, it seems like the illegals are really keyed into the various "litigation lottery" scams out there.
I hear ya', Warhawk...
Is this hospital "fund" paid for with taxpayer money, or is it skimmed off of insurance premiums for folks who are responsible enough to have their own insurance?
Either way, good Americans are paying the bill, and the reckless are being rewarded.
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