The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-15
LIABILITY INSURANCE.
Mr.. Pangborn states Some Facts Cone
nected with This Business.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
Representative East's statement concerning
House bill No. 90 displays his ignorance OF the
application Of liability insurance or more likely
a disposition TO pervert the minds OF the public
into believing that this form OF Insurance breeds
recklessness and all sorts of evil things among
employers OF labor and infers that liability COM
panes possess some unknown power 10 hy1notizs
courts and juries and TO change the force OF
laws governing personal damage cases and there
by work injury TO the laboring man. The Iiabil-
ity company agrees TO assume the expense in
cidental accidents which may happen during
the policy year Tor stated premium IN the same
manner rs ire, lie ana accident companies agree
10 indemnity their patrons The law or general
average sustains the insurance company, while
the single individual. firm or corporation may ba
by by liabilities incurred by the Operation.
OF plant, even though every precaution is taken
risks connected with producing commodities by
the aid of machinery and the labor OF man must
ploSe accepts service MS occupation and its dam
gers are manifest To him. lie receives stated
wages for mis- work long he Is able 10 DO
II: II unable TO work on account OF sickness no
charge Of intentional wrong would be made
continued during term OF disability, would
ganzation for paying this sick benefits
on the ground that they were encouraging idle
ness ana depriving the employer of his services
Ii, however. while i'm the discharge of his duties
the eInploye should be injured. that's different"
because IL opens up OF thought in the
minds OF a certain class OF individuals called
"shyster lawyers ambulance attorneys etc.
dhis article is not leVeled attorneys who
the prosecution cases real merit). who
rush into the homes OF injured persons and By
turns close up an avenues 81 relief 1n the he
employer and allow the 'blackmailer'' TO get IN
these legal bloodsuckers and either employs a
i lawyer or pays the price demanded 10 be re-
encourages other unprincipled persons 20 do like
and wax wroth that relief should be offered the
poor employer TO enable him TO pursue his
business and leave these nlchers in experienced
hands.
The laws can surely not be changed in any
manner for the benefit OF liability company. IL
liability exists and the court awards verdict
the plaintiff secures his money; that Is. what
through shaking it, and if there is liability II
is decided by the court. The trouble Is that
cases have by energy, perseverance,. hard study
and practice placed themselves ia position
and even while oftentimes handicapped by preju-
dice on the part OF the jury win cases based
Mr.. East was right in his statement thst m anu
facturers used 70 get aloag without this ksnd OF
demand for protection about ten years ago. and
keeping up with the procession. few OF them
are sun here rspresen,ed by sLseta6s citizens
damage cases. a understand. and because he was
beaten in some of them threatens 10 annthiate
Good lawyers will still confront him and demon
strate the legal status OF their clients. even k
otherwise. Does Mr.. last wish TO Infer that an
injured employe is debarred from bringing action
time can such empioye sue the Insurance com
pany?" What nonsense Is there any court In
this land that Is not open 10 the poor man. But
worlds goods than his employer should not.
damaged. Capital is hswled az. like dogs bowl
at the moon, and when Indiana attenlpts 20
initiate Kansas by following the wild and w1otly
idocyncrases of some of the hold-over Popysists.
surance companies TO move out OF thef state
where Wind and whiskers would soon ptedon.
mate. What shame that the legally authorised
officers OF this State should legally license an
therein-admitted to be illegal contractr" by
whom, pray: Not by the courts, because they
have declared them legal and binding on the
companies in the broadcast sense.
Mr. East quotes from the reports Of a company
that transacts individual accident (which he
states his article n not leveled aO, employers
liability, elevator insurance (Which provides for
not less than four careful inspections OF all APP
paratus connected with elevators annually. there
by further preventing accidents), Wofkmen's coli
half wages by the employer on regular pay Gays
during time Of disability from accidents. and for
accident and for the payment Of doctors bnls.l
This is not contingent upon the liability OF the
poPeT in many csse@ ana in others each empoys
| pays a stated amount per week Indemnity.
until disability ceases. while this Insurance.
| taken in wholesale form by employers is cheaper
| and PAYS benefits when needed most lbut this Is
a good thing according 10 East, and viii pass
explosion OF boilers. careful inspections made by
experienced men quarterly: not bad thing for
OF the poor empiOye D: plate glass
and burglary insurance. and surety bonds. The
total premiums named OF sas, 25.20 for isS cover
| all the above named forms. large portion OF
| that amount being FOR railroad individual acci-
| dent Insurance, and other forms OF accident in
surance permitted by Mr.. East The actual
Of premiums tgrosE) written In the stare
employers liability forms could be ascertainet
by Mr.. East by inquiring Of the company from
| whose statements he quotes and IL might be fair
for him to concede p or p per cent commission
20 the agents or the company In the state, which
| hnds lie way into the channels of trade. Allow,
say. Sl4oO0 for commissions give the poor agent
l show, Mr. East 70 agents IN the state.
SIG $50 for losses. and reasonable percentages
| advertising, state and county fees. legal ex-
pcnses. etc. and the S5S.725.21 won't appear 20
/ large you. Then. YOU don't know that the
! statute OF limitation gives an injured person or
/ lawful age two years. and "A fnlr-or until ne Or
| she becomes Of age. and two years thereafter.
in which 60 bring suits and that A is necessary
to set aside reserve 20 Prov te against llao-ty
| that may until every case n legally dis
4 poged OF: therefore. "a would be utterly impos-
/ sible person To state that the company
| State last year tor any previous year, i, VII
| take ten years TO md that out.
! This gigantic scheme as Mr.. last calls IL,
/ Is all IN your mind. The companies doing huEi-
ness ia this State and i'm the initeel states have
| made money on their liability business The
4 quotes from. bet h. prepared to prove that he
| does know where he a. at on this question:
/ and maintains that be A. trying 90 dcztroy a
| legitimate business fer selfish purposes. The
| gigantic schere' viii lse. ana viii this
4 great government. IN spite 81 Few Wild fopu-
| lists. GEORGE ". PANGBoRN.
| Indianapolis. Fen. L.
|