Exxon paid billions to settle suits for damage to Alaska's shores caused by a drunken Captain Hazelwood's stint at the helm of its Valdez. Exxon recently re-experienced the American way for banning those with a history of alcoholism from being oil tanker captains, a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. When someone falls off the wagon, maneuvering oil tankers around testy coastlines may not be the best line of work. There aren't many inlets large enough for pulling over to sleep it off. Ours is the most accessible court system in the world.
Justice is around the corner for a minimal filing fee.
But such easy access demands self-restraint. The American way knows no limits, finding novel damage theories in every accident and unearthing new liability in each twist of fate. We watch Judge Judy daily, dreaming of our day in court and jackpot verdicts. We are scavengers for remedies, foragers for punitive damages. I served as arbitrator through conscription in a case involving a rear-end bump at 5 mph but damages untold claimed by the plaintiff.