rjr@spuxll.UUCP (06/25/84)
I am a programmer by profession,but also a volunteer fireman in my home town.
On Halloween of last year,while fighting a major house fire, a piece of slate
fell off the roof and broke a bone in my hand and a bone in my foot. My town
paid all the medical expenses, I only lost 3 days of work, and my casts were
off by November 30. The only reminder I have is a 2-inch scar on my thumb
where the doctor operated, and a tiny ding on the top of my foot. The
appendages all work same as before. "No problem", you might say! I am prepared
to forget the whole incident. Well I received a letter from my town's
insurance company to visit a doctor of their choosing to determine damages
to be awarded to me.(Remember now, I am not suing anybody).
Saturday I was talking to a lawyer friend of mine who specializes in
pain-and-suffering. He estimates that I am going to receive about ten
thousand dollars for this thing!!! I almost fell off my chair!
How is it that these people hand out so much money without even being
sued? Is this why our insurance rates are so high? I consider myself a
reasonable person, which is why I was willing to let the whole thing drop,
but if someone is going to offer me a wad of cash, I'll be the last one
to turn it down.
BOTTOM LINE: The system stinks. People are so used to being sued these days
that they are throwing money away on cases where there is no need to.
This true story is food for thought for any legal beagles out there. Is my
BOTTOM LINE conclusion incorrect? Comments appreciated.
Thanx,
Bob Riley
!spuxll!rjr
"Let her try to make a beehive out of me!!!" - The Tin Mangarys@bunker.UUCP (Gary Samuelson) (06/27/84)
If you REALLY think the system stinks, why are you encouraging the behaviour which you are criticizing? In other words, if you think it is wrong for the city to compensate you for your injury, it is wrong for you to accept such compensation. Actually, I think that compensating you for an injury received while working as a volunteer fireman is much more reasonable than a lot of the lawsuits I hear about, and at a much more reasonable level. Gary Samuelson
wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler) (06/29/84)
I doff my hat to a reasonable man. You are right, it's actions like these that raise the insurance rates plus raise taxes. (Turning down the cash would be hard to do though) T. C. Wheeler