Hurricane Katrina Victims Sue for $3 Quadrillion
Since the aftermath of Katrina, 489,000 claims have been filed by residents and business owners alike against the federal government for the damage caused by the failure of levees and flood walls following the August, 29th storm. Many officials are saying that the residents of New Orleans are grossly exaggerating their claims against the government in order to send a message- after Katrina, the US Army Corps of Engineers did accept the blame for the poor design of the failed levees.
The government has received 247 claims so far for at least $1 billion a piece and have received one claim for $3 quadrillion. Claims are being filed based on failure of the levees, loss of life, destruction of property and loss of livelihood just to name a few. While residents don't expect to get the amount they've filed their claims for, they still expect retribution for the trauma and destruction caused by the failed levees. Many residents are still living in trailer parks and in other parts of the country because they do not have the funds to restore their homes and places of work after the destruction caused by the storm.
So when you think about it, is there a fair price that can be put on this disaster? $3 quadrillion, when put into perspective would dwarf our current gross domestic product- which is the total market value of all the goods and services that were produced within the last year- which was $13.2 trillion. It could easily pay off our national debt and surely help to aid our soldiers who are fighting in Iraq. To put it in another perspective, 3 quadrillion pennies could make a round trip from Earth to Saturn.
While no moves have been made as to whether or not the government will put a price on the destruction of Katrina, it will be interesting to see how this all unfolds.
Sources:
Associated Press, "Katrina Victims Sue for $3 Quadrillion". Local6.com
Published by Erin Morris
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16 Comments
Post a CommentThat is a lot of money! Great article.
You know what the idea is totally ridiculous in the first place, these are the same people who did not heed the warnings to leave for a wekk before the hurricane hit. You can't sue mother Nature. Its coming down ionce again to people wanting to be gifted everything. I live in Florida, When they they say the hurricane is coming and its going to be bad, then we LEAVE> That's it. what happens in our wake happens. I nor the government has any control over the weather,. EVERYONE knew the levees would not stand up to anything stronger then a category three hurricane. WHen a category five comes don't be surprised that it wrecked everything. You decided to stay in a bowl surrounded by WATER what did you ecpect wepould happen?? Haven't the taxpayers and the government been feeding housing and clothing you since? YES. whe does it stop? GREAT ARTICLE
I have never heard of suing for that kind of money.
More money should be put building up the levee than rebuilding the city simply because it could happen again, and who knows the damage that it'll cost then? Before Katrina city officials knew the levee wasn't high enough and did nothing about it.
That's a crazy amount. There are risks involved wherever you choose to live - earthquakes in CA, hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, tornadoes in the midwest... we can't get a quadrillion dollars every time a natural disaster happens.
I heard about this. Thanks for the info!
The City sits below sea level, I think money should be spent or offered only for relocation programs. If someone wants to rebuild on the ocean floor, do it on your own nickle, not on the taxpayers. guess what, if you live below sea level, it is going to happen again, no matter how good the levees are.
In 2005 Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), and David Vitter (R), asked the Congress for $250 BILLION< /SPAN> to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean?
A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you each get $516,528.
B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.
C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012.
HELLO!!! ... What entitlement bush did they grow up under?
Now those that won't even show up for a job, (there is a shortage of people who WANT a job- that's what is hindering the city functioning again.) filed for 3 quadrillion dollars. You do the math on how much money each US citizen would have as a tax burden to give one city the golden ticket. And it will only make the region more corrupt and less willing to work for what they want or value.
Until the residents want to work to rebuild the city, it won't be rebuilt. The place
They haven't done anything to really rebuild that city. Honestly, I don't think they can afford to while paying for Iraq.
Well written. I think the dollar amount crazy. Living it a city like that, you have to know that something like this could happen at any time. Although it's unfortunate, it's a risk you take living there. They had warning to evacuate and many didn't, for whatever their reasons were.