Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against China Regarding COVID-19

Joe: 106.7WIZN. It’s Pink Floyd and “Comfortably Numb.” Heard the Fab Four before that. Joe Vega taking you through your Wednesday evening. I got Paul Harding on the phone right now from Martin, Harding & Mazzotti. Hello Paul.

Paul: Hey, Joe. How are you?

Joe: I’m doing well. Thanks for asking. So I called you because I wanted to ask you about this story coming out of Nevada, a class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Nation of China in regard to the coronavirus and the damage it’s doing to small business. And I was just wondering if you could possibly explain this lawsuit to me?

Paul: Well, I can talk about it, I don’t know if I can explain. I read this thing and I thought to myself, “Boy, these lawyers are, you know, really thinking.” Yes, I read the complaint. They’re saying, “Listen, guys, China, you knew about this virus. You took the doctors, you put them in prison. You didn’t let the lawyers, you didn’t let people share the information. So we weren’t prepared for that and your cover-up is the claim and now the billions and billions of dollars.” So that’s the theme. I think it’s creative-lawyering, we call it. But they filed it.

Joe: How could they…I mean, let’s say they win, how can they even go about collecting that?

Paul: Right. So the first problem they’re gonna have is serving China. They’ve got to accept service. And there’s this thing called the Hague Convention where certain countries have agreed to accept. Like if I wanna sue Great Britain, they’ve agreed to be sued a certain way. China is not on board with this. So, serving them is gonna be the first thing, and then proving everything. So if things move forward, you know, it would be years and years and years, like, I think the Chinese are gonna look at this and say, “We’re not even gonna acknowledge that this exists.”

Joe: Yeah, I mean, it just seems weird to me, how would you even go through with enforcing it even if you won?

Paul: Yes, all those questions and more. But I certainly think it’s creative-lawyering and I love the fact that folks are probably home, so maybe you have time for some of these deep thoughts like this. That may be what this is.

Joe: Well, it’s good to know that it’s not just me when I read it and I said, “What the heck is this all about?”

Paul: Yeah, I think the rest of us are still fighting with it, Joe.

Joe: All right, thank you very much. Paul Harding from Martin, Harding & Mazzotti. Thanks for coming on.

Paul: All right, talk soon. Bye-bye.

Joe: Remember, you can call Paul at any time at 1800LAW1010 or go online to 1800law1010.com. All right, I’m getting on out of here. Turning things over to Mel Allen now, he’s got music from Journey and George Thorogood next.