The next time someone complains to you about the high cost of litigation, tell them the story of Michelle and Kevin McCarthy. Last November, a crane fell on the Santa Rosa couple’s house. Being reasonable people, the McCarthys assumed that whoever was responsible for the accident would pay the damages in a reasonable amount of time.

Wrong. Insurance companies are squabbling over who is most responsible, leaving the McCarthys (and their neighbors) stuck with the remains of a house waiting to be put back together.

As Staff Writer Mary Callahan told the story today – here – the McCarthys on Friday finally gave up and filed a lawsuit. It was an acknowledgement that their faith was misplaced.

Want to know why we live in the most litigious society on earth? Ask the couple who didn’t want to file a lawsuit until they were left without any other choice.