U.S. Chamber shields corporations, rigs legal system at consumers'
expense
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a
statement from American Association for Justice CEO Jon Haber on the
Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007 (H.R. 3010 / S.1782) and U.S. Chamber's
latest attempts to avoid corporate accountability while denying people
justice through the legal system:
"U.S. Chamber and its corporate financers are lobbying to keep abusive,
binding mandatory arbitration clauses as the status quo. Just ask Jamie
Leigh Jones what she thinks of the status quo.
"Jamie was raped, drugged, beaten, and then confined to a shipping
container by KBR/Halliburton employees while working in Iraq. Because of a
clause placed in her employment contract, KBR is trying to force Jamie to
submit to a binding, secret, non-appealable arbitration. These are the
types of corporations U.S. Chamber is trying to protect.
"This abusive corporate practice affects all Americans. Car, nursing
home, and credit card contracts almost always include clauses to eliminate
access to the courts and force people into a costly private legal system
that favors corporations. Arbitration can only be a valid and effective
method of resolving disputes when both parties agree voluntarily, not when
it is forced upon people to limit their legal rights.
"U.S. Chamber is protecting corporations that bury mandatory
arbitration clauses in fine print while destroying the civil justice
system."
As the world's largest trial bar, AAJ promotes justice and fairness for
injured persons, defends the constitutional right to trial by jury, and
strengthens the civil justice system through education and disclosure of
information critical to public health and safety. Serving members
worldwide, AAJ provides attorneys with the information and professional
assistance they need to serve clients successfully and protect the
democratic values of the civil justice system. Visit
http://www.justice.org.
SOURCE American Association for Justice
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Related links:
http://www.justice.org
CONTACT:
Ray De Lorenzi of the American Association
for Justice, +1-202-965-3500 x369
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