To the OP:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Something to consider is that Mr. Chow was a respected member of the flashlight world, I hold several of his lights, however, he was sued and lost. I don't know all the details but I am certain the company had legal teams from Park Ave. in New York, and others from Market St., in Philadelphia, and Century City, CA -- he lost. And lost to deep pockets.
He may be paying huge sums to the plaintiffs on a monthly basis, and once you are crushed in our awful legal system you go from a $10,000 dollar desk to working at a Dairy Queen, with a 17 year old pepperoni pizza faced Ritalin popping high school stoner boss, and over night years of good decent work is flushed down the drain, never to be recovered. You become bankrupt, have a huge judgement against you, instantly your college education is worthless. That is our society!
If he misses even one payment, it is back to the judge. Your request for a refund to him now could be meaningless compared to what he is up against. He could have gone from a McMansion in Atlanta to God knows where, with kids, a wife who split, Mercedes repossessed, and riding a bicycle to DQ and the 17 year punk-*** old boss!
I am certain the case was tried in California, look up the verdict, it is public info. He could be forced, and possibly by his own fault to pay millions in damages, and legal fees, interest, fees and,on and, on. Regardless, if he is in a very likely situation, for myself, I'd let it go. I have sued people, and even let some of it go because the lawyers were relentles. And even the money I paid them they wore horrible-I'll fitting-cheap suits, you could see from a mile away. Never could grasp that? That is a story for another time.
If if he has a judgement in the millions, he won't recover without some luck. Most likely never, no college for kids just paying a judgement. I suppose if he stole IP, he dug his own grave, that's how things work.
The problem we have is you could do a lifetime of good honest things for people, and then one thing, just one...even something minor, and you never ever recover. You are finished, even after decades of good things! And it does not involve stealing IP.
Do some research before you nail him to the cross. I say this because he did loose a suit. I have had friends worth millions loose legal battles come to me for "Two twenties to rub together." I wrote them a good sized check, he may not have friends like that. You know why? Because when you are down on your luck, people turn their backs on you, and who'll slam the door on you. He may be in a similar position.
Also, the new owner may have no legal obligation whatsoever to assist you. You have no knowledge of any deals or contracts post suit, period. Chow was in Georgia, the other company in California. The deal probably only really results in the ownership copyrights to the name of the company only, and not IP ideas, I doubt the new owner would want anything creative without patents which Chow actually owns, and the could be of little value, or dated. Or result in the new owner being sued. This stuff gets messy fast.
For all all we know Mr. Chow had bad pattent lawyers, and they sunk him. Of course no lawyer, DA, judge or cop is ever, ever wrong, never, never.
My advice...forget the light and move on. You did not have your life savings taken by a Bernie Maddoff.
Really, Mr. Chow did his best, and, that is what I would like to think and believe, he could have done nothing with intent, and still lost his case, that happpens everyday. Let's hope that is the case. After all, he gave us great lights. Good luck David Chow.
Respectfully yours,
Sincerely,
RL
