"Alan S" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 29 Oct 2006 22:54:57 -0000, "Andy Pandy"
wrote:


"tim(yet another new home)" wrote in message
...
The hotel manager, owner and two maintenance staff face up to five
years in jail if convicted of manslaughter.

This is the sort of nonsence that used to happen in the UK.

Each blames the other and no-one is convicted. Now the
rules in the UK have been changed so the responsibility
is farely and squarely with the owner. Unless the other
parties have done something stupid, like falsified the test
certificate or similar, they stand no chance of geting put
in the dock, which IMHO is how it should be.

Why? If it was the manager's job to ensure the tests are carried out, and
he didn't,
then why is the owner responsible?

If I own shares in a company that kills someone due to negligent
management, do I and
the other shareholders get prosecuted rather than the company's
management?

And if the inspection or maintenance that was carried out
was poorly or inadequately performed - why is the owner
liable and not the inspector or technician?


Cheers, Alan, Australia

In the US it is unofficially called the "principle of the deep pockets."
The lawyer knows that the inspector and technician have little money so the
lawsuit names the company that sent the technician, and the manager, and the
owner, and the company that manages the chain, as well as the tour company
that made the reservations. In other words, anyone who has any small
relation to the act, but, more importantly, has the "deep pockets" to pay
off. Cases are usually settled out of court, just before trial. US juries
are notorious for awarding millions for a spilled cup of coffee. Maybe this
principle applies here.


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