An illegal alien who can legally sue

Mike Kelly ^ | Sunday, May 21, 2006 | By MIKE KELLY

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By MIKE KELLY

VICTOR MANUEL CABALLERO says he only wanted a decent job when he sneaked across the border from Mexico five years ago. Thanks to a ruling last week by the state Supreme Court, he has achieved a special American status even though he still lives here illegally:

He can collect damages for being hurt in an auto accident.

We hear much these days about illegal immigrants -- how desperate they are for good jobs here, how many risk their lives to slip across the border, how so many now hope to pursue their lives in America with some measure of forgiveness and amnesty even though they clearly violated immigration laws.

The case of Victor Manuel Cabellero falls into a whole new zone of troubles. He not only lives here illegally; the state Supreme Court has now opened a legal door for him and other undocumented immigrants to collect from a special state fund set up to protect anyone hurt in a car accident with an uninsured driver.

To put it another way: Victor Caballero may not have the legal right to actually live in New Jersey, but New Jersey says he has the legal right to receive generous benefits for being here.

Go figure.

If nothing else, Caballero's story illustrates how meaningless immigration laws are and how inept our government has become in dealing with this problem.

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Read the rest at the link. What else is new.

[catholicfreeper]

You know I know that people are horrified at all this illegal alien suing folks. Buts lets keep this in reality. In 99 percent of these auto accidents who is really getting sued and handles all this. Insurance companies. When an illegal alien goes to the hospital there is a bill. When a person gets a settlement the Hospital takes out there expenses. So instead of us paying the bill at a charity like hospital the insurance companies do. I just paid my car insurance bill today and perhaps that is putting me in less sympathetic mood to the insurance industry.

[trubluolyguy]

Didn't even read the story....total shot in the dark....this is the one out of New Jersey (again)?

[Publius6961]

GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRR!

I no longer refer to it as "Congress"...
It is now a compound word: Moron-Congress...

Am I the only one not voting for these POSs?

[trubluolyguy]

Your post would have more credibility if you weren't a criminal coddler.

[ziggy_dlo]

This crap has gone too far. Where does the SCOTUS get that logic?

[sheana]

yeah and guess what....the insurance just passes those costs onto you. Every cost in any business is passed on to the consumer.
So you either pay his bill thru the state/fed government or the insurance, what difference does it make?

[Rakkasan1]

who appointed the judges who made this decision?

this is as stupid as making the homeowner pay for the burglar who gets hurt breaking into their house.

[catholicfreeper]

Pleaseeeeeeeeee

It just a perspective. Perhaps, I have had a bad experience with insurance companies but I just don't get all grief stricken when they have to pay out. We pass all this tort reform because that was suppose to lower our rates. Well we did our part of the job when are they going to do theirs.

[ziggy_dlo]

you are not the only one believe me!!!

[Edgerunner]

The New Jersey Supreme Court...NOT SCOTUS

Where ever there is an inversion of logic, there is a liberal involved somewhere...

[ziggy_dlo]

they're a bunch of cash cows IMO

[ziggy_dlo]

they are buth supreme courts and and evil so not too much of a difernce IMO

[Rakkasan1]

guess you like welfare for illegals, too? the payouts insurance companies make are made to people are citizens who are required by law to have insurance and have paid for the insurance.

but what the hell, as long as we're breaking laws being here illegally, what's one more law.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I just paid my car insurance bill today and perhaps that is putting me in less sympathetic mood to the insurance industry."

Excuse me, but are you REALLY that naive?? It's this kind of lawsuit abuse that CAUSES your insurance to be high. And you blame the INSURANCE COMPANIES????

[ziggy_dlo]

just like old Bushy said.
they have to prove that they have kept their nose clean. By coming across the border illegally, they already have an "unclean nose".

[ziggy_dlo]

whats another law?

[catholicfreeper]

I don't think I am being naive at all. I think I was naive when I asked my legislators to pass all this tort reform the insurance companies wanted in Louisiana in 1996 and 1997. They got about everything they wanted and we were all told our rates wer going to go down. Guess what never happened. They just been going up as usual. We passed medical liabilties laws that limited damages. Yep my Health insurance went down(sarc). Another promise they made that there was no action on.

[Froufrou]

" In 99 percent of these auto accidents who is really getting sued and handles all this. Insurance companies. When an illegal alien goes to the hospital there is a bill. When a person gets a settlement the Hospital takes out there expenses. "

Where are you getting this from? The two Mexicans did not have any insurance. And there's no way the hospital will get a dime of the $15,000 the lawyer is suing for. Caballero won't have to share that with anyone but the lawyer! The thing no one has considered is that New Jersey may be a no-fault state. Makes a HUGE difference.

[catholicfreeper]

I am talking in general. I think and maybe I am wrong on this that most states have moved to a no pay no play system. Your right about how this is NJ. I read some place you cant even pump your own gas there for some strange reason. I gues its to keep folks employed.