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From: rjr@spuxll.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Sorry State of Affairs?
Message-ID: <513@spuxll.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 25-Jun-84 12:20:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: spuxll.513
Posted: Mon Jun 25 12:20:49 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 30-Jun-84 03:16:23 EDT
Organization: AT&T Information Systems, South Plainfield NJ
Lines: 28

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 Man