Chapter 75
Favoritism
Chapter 75 Favoritism
Mr. Robin finally changed into a new hat, and his appearance improved considerably, but he still looked somewhat uneasy on the road where carriages came and went.
As soon as Hobart got out of the car, Robin and his cousin David immediately came up to him: "Good morning, Attorney Hobart."
"Good morning, you two," Hobart said with a smile. "Your lives seem to be improving; it appears my advice had some effect."
"Your advice has made us realize the truth," Mr. Robin said.
Hobert nodded slightly. He was quite pleased that he had helped two misguided people see through the deception of this era.
He led Robin and his cousin to his desk: "What difficulties have you encountered this time?"
Robin looked at David, who was much taller than Robin and had a small mustache. He looked like he didn't have a very good temper, but in front of Hobart, David was just as awkward as Robin: "Not us, sir."
He seemed to gather his thoughts before saying, "It was one of my coworkers who had his leg and hand swallowed by a machine while he was working. He wanted 300 pounds in compensation, but the factory owner was only willing to give him 100 pounds."
"He consulted several lawyers, but they all said his compensation demands were too high and were unwilling to take the case. You may be his last hope."
Hobert tried to recall the legal provisions regarding workers' compensation, but found that, perhaps due to his time travel, he couldn't quite remember some of them.
He asked, "Your coworker has lost his ability to work, right?"
"Yes," David replied. "Not only that, he has now lost his family and has to beg for a living."
"He wants £300 in compensation so he can buy a piece of land in the suburbs. He says he grew up in the fields and can grow crops even with only one hand."
Hobart nodded; in his opinion, £300 was not an excessive demand for compensation.
However, he remembered that when he was chatting with his colleagues, one of them mentioned that there was an unwritten rule in factory work injury cases: £100 for disability and £150 for death.
Although Hobart sympathized with David's coworker, he didn't rush to express his opinion: "I want to talk to your coworker in person."
David nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I'll bring him over this afternoon."
After seeing Robin and David off, Hobart went to the bookshelf and found the section on civil compensation. Surprisingly, there was only one regulation regarding workers' compensation: if a worker is injured at work, the employer is obligated to cover their medical expenses and provide corresponding compensation.
Hobart then realized that it wasn't because he had forgotten the relevant legal provisions during his time travel, but rather that there was only one such vague legal provision.
There is absolutely no basis for compensation in different situations such as injury, disability, or death, and it is only "an obligation to bear"!
When faced with cases where the legal provisions are unclear, judges can only rely on their own judgment, previous cases, or established rules when making a ruling.
Ironically, the workers' compensation law clearly stipulates how to compensate employees for losses caused to their employers. It clearly outlines how to compensate for losses up to £10, losses between £10 and £20, losses between £20 and £50, and so on up to £800 and £1000.
Hobart scoffed, "It's practically a law that 'protects the rights of capitalists and nobles.'"
Back at his desk, Hobart realized that David's coworker's case was unlikely to be won, even though the client's demands were legitimate, even somewhat humble.
Moreover, taking on such cases can easily lead to conflict with established rules.
Then Hobert thought to himself, now that he was an extraordinary being with a high-society background, why should he live as cautiously as he did in his previous life?
We've accepted this case!
Since I've been given a second chance at life, I should definitely experience a different kind of life!
Having made up his mind, Hobart began to prepare for it.
When he came up with a feasible idea, he realized it was already past 10 a.m.
Hobart went to Barton's office and reported the details of Mr. Polly's case, but he only gave a brief description of the Henry family's situation.
Mr. Polly's case is now officially closed.
"I had no idea this case would be so dangerous," Barton said. If he had known, he would never have handed the case over to Hobart.
Hobart smiled and said, "Some dangers are unavoidable, but fortunately I handled them fairly well, and I even gained something after the crisis."
Establishing a stable connection with the official extraordinary individuals was his greatest gain, something that even the right to use 2-355 couldn't compare to.
"You should take the bar exam," Barton said, skipping to the next topic. "Because of your excellent performance, I'll write you a letter of recommendation and ask my friends to help you with the exam process."
Hobart now uses a "lawyer's assistant license." With a "lawyer's license," he can handle some complex criminal cases and is qualified to defend clients in a formal courtroom.
After thanking Mr. Barton, Hobart returned to his seat and began his routine reflection.
In dealing with Mr. Polly's case, he felt he hadn't made any obvious mistakes, but there were some lessons to keep in mind: when dealing with official extraordinary individuals, one must always consider whether one can take the initiative, especially the initiative in dividing the spoils.
He encountered the official extraordinary person somewhat hastily this time and didn't have time to think too much. If there is any cooperation in the future, he must first discuss how to divide the spoils.
As for the third case given to him by Barton, he still needs to handle it. Although there may be some risks, Hobert's abilities to handle problems have improved as his power and resources have grown. Therefore, Hobert is confident that he can avoid or manage the risks that may arise in the case.
Of course, the most crucial point is that taking the initiative to handle the third case is equivalent to utilizing the "law of aggregation of extraordinary characteristics".
After dealing with Mr. Polly's case, Hobert sensed signs of the potion being digested again. If he actively used the rules again, his potion would definitely continue to be digested.
Moreover, the speed of digesting potions seems to be even faster by using the "law of extraordinary properties aggregation". Hobert felt that he had already digested a lot of his "Lawyer" potion!
By continuously utilizing the rules and constantly summarizing them, the speed of digestion may be faster.
Please vote for me!
(End of this chapter)