Just before the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, John Lyons, Jr. filed a lawsuit against Mark Morice who admits to taking Lyons' 18 ft pleasure boat immediately following the landfall of Katrina. Morice reportedly used the boat to save around 200 stranded people, including a 92 year old man on dialysis, in the aftermath of the storm.
Morice acknowledges the fact that he didn't have permission to use the boat and also admits that instead of returning the boat to Lyons, he gave it to other rescuers attempting to save people from the floodwaters. Lyons' insurance carrier would only pay half of the value of the boat so Lyons chose to file suit against Morice for the remaining 12,000 dollars.
What would you have done? Would you have taken the boat to save the stranded people, even if you didn't have permission? Would you have sued for your losses if it were your boat that was taken? Tell us what you would do...............Then check out the story update here.Hurrican
Originally posted 9/19/06 on Yahoo 360
10 comments:
Lyons' needs to get over himself, and be thankful he survived the hurricane!! Of course Morice should have taken the boat! It was an emergency situation, and he shouldn't have to worry about a lawsuit. The good samaritan law should be applied here in this case! What if Lyons had been a person in need of rescue?? Would he have felt differently then?? Sure it was stealing!! Is that right?? No!! Sometimes we have to make moral choices in our lives, and the dividing line is not always a solid one between right and wrong! Have we become so inflexible in our society that we can not stop and think of others first, before ourselves?? Must we live our life by the restrictions of political correctness?? I would like to think not. I am not saying we should go out and break the law whenever we feel like it. This was not done for Morice's personal gain or to deliberately try to bring harm to a personal possession of Lyons. Lyons is being a jerk and Morice should not have to suffer because of his attitude!!
Wednesday September 20, 2006 - 01:31am (CDT)
Morice did the right thing. I would have done the same myself...take the boat and use it. And if the boat was mine and taken to be used, I would have never filed suit and accept the loss, but be proud that my boat was used to save a life...or in this case...multiple lives.
Tuesday September 19, 2006 - 10:38pm (AKDT)
I think Lyons is a very selfish person. It's terrible that he hs chosen to sue over this incident. Morice did the right thing. It was an emergency situation that called for immediate action. It's a possession. A possession that was instrumental in saving hundreds of lives. I agree with Marti, he needs to get over himself. Unfortunately, the facts will probably lead in this case and Lyons will win the suit, no matter how moralling wrong it is. It would be nice if a boat manufacturing company that can afford the donation, would step in on Morice's behalf and donate a boat.
Wednesday September 20, 2006 - 03:50am (EDT)
I would have taken the boat to save others definately - hell yes I would and Lyons is just appauling - peace out - Jak :-)
Wednesday September 20, 2006 - 09:46am (BST)
I would have definitely taken the boat to save others. However, rather than suing Morice - Lyons needs to sue the insurance company for not paying what the total value of what the boat is worth. Additionally, he'd have much better luck suing the insurance rather than Morice who will no doubt have to have wages garnished.
Wednesday September 20, 2006 - 10:25am (CDT)
I would have taken the boat as well.. in time like that a life saved is ever more important than permission. It is a no brainer. Lyons is just a money grubbing jerk who actually is luck that he didn't lose more in this all. He is the type that deserves to have lost more
Excellent blog and story to think about.. I am amazed daily by some peoples lack of value in a human life..
sad..
peace,
Monk
Wednesday September 20, 2006 - 12:15pm (EDT)
Get FEMA to pay for the boat. It's probably sitting in one of their employee's garages.
Wednesday September 20, 2006 - 11:48am (CDT)
LOL Very nice!! Wouldn't suprise me either!
Wednesday September 20, 2006 - 11:28am (PDT)
In times of natural disaster and lives are on the line; I find it very noble and heroic that this man would take the boat to help save others - he went above the call of duty here without selfishness...acting on instinct of a good heart actually.
Reading the update, I was very glad to see that the boat owner did in fact "come around" and drop the lawsuit. Material possessions mean nothing compared to life.
Saturday September 23, 2006 - 11:40am (MDT)
I would have done exactly what he did.
I would not have filed a lawsuit against the man
who took my boat to save lives.
peace n love
Debby
Saturday September 23, 2006 - 08:17pm (CDT)
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