I'll Live But I'll Sue

Unknown

A man is suing his doctor for giving him the wrong diagnosis. The doctor thought he would die, so the patient went on a spending spree. The diagnosis is wrong, the patient will live. He is suing for all the money he spent on his spending sprees. What are your thoughts?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070507/od_nm/..._spree_odd_dc_1

dollarflame6

Well, the doctor isn't responsible for that. If the guy had decided to get married before he died, and then found out he wasn't dying, would he blame the doctor? If he decided to spend more time with his family, would he blame the doctor? It was his own decision to make death = spending spree.

bugleverse2

why would you go on a spending spee when you're about to die? What's the point?

target35ghost

Oh I dunno, i can see where he's coming from. He knows he's only got a year to live, so he might as well enjoy it by spending all of his money on the luxuries he's always wanted. He knows that it doesn't matter because as long as he makes that money last just one year, he'll have enough for the rest of his life! I'd be the same.

And now he's found out that he's not going to die after all. The poor guy's gotta mortgage his house to pay for food. I'm not sure if he can legally have much of a case though, because situations change and when it comes to cancer you can never be entirely certain. Perhaps the doctors should have just given him the possibility that he would make it through, just to prevent this from happening...

Tempe Arizona

QUOTE (Electra @ May 8 2007, 08:43 AM)

Perhaps the doctors should have just given him the possibility that he would make it through, just to prevent this from happening...

Ah, Allie, spoken so well and like a true physician. But yeah, good point

women60banana

QUOTE (mundum @ May 7 2007, 11:22 PM)

why would you go on a spending spee when you're about to die? What's the point?

To make use of everything you've earned while you can and experience as much as possible before you're dead..

doctor5cap

i think it was up to the patient to get a second opinion before he goes and blows his life savings. I had a friend who was diagnosed by 3 different doctors each with 3 different opinons on her condition before she settled on a treatment...

DJRose

QUOTE (Felster @ May 9 2007, 09:18 AM)

i think it was up to the patient to get a second opinion before he goes and blows his life savings. I had a friend who was diagnosed by 3 different doctors each with 3 different opinons on her condition before she settled on a treatment...

Totally agreed. I've got sympathy for the guy that's for sure. And Pancreatic Cancer, well, that one's supposed to be the most deadly. But you should always go for a second opinion on big things like this, especially if your about to spend your life's savings.

Didn't that guy see that movie Last Holiday? With Queen Latifah? Come On!

jedi_grrlie

QUOTE (DJRose @ May 10 2007, 09:14 PM)

Didn't that guy see that movie Last Holiday? With Queen Latifah? Come On!

SO SHE DOESN'T DIE AT THE END?! THANKS FOR RUINING IT FOR ME!

auntscale1

Sucks to be that bugger, but he can't blame the doctor, really. It's nobody's fault. Just bad circumstances, I guess. The doctor didn't make him spend that money, it was his own choice, though he made a good decision, I guess... I'd do the same thing if I knew I was going to die within a year.

I guess it's kind of the doctor's fault, but I don't think he should be charged.

target35ghost

It's not the doctor who's getting charged or who'll have to pay though, I don't think...
He's suing the NHS (and they really can't afford that.....)

cementsteam8

OMG.

I would rather be in debt and LIVEEEEEEEE than to cease to exist. End of story. lol, that's pretty funny though. If I had a year to live, I'd... go skydiving

recordwolf57

This ia a good "would you rather" discussion (actually the reason that thread was started.)

It seems to me like this guy will have some catching up to do on getting a house, but was also given the gift of being able to truly express what he felt about his loved ones, see the world, and have very few strings attached. Then still live. I think that's a blessing in disguise. Sometimes we get stuck on small things instead of looking at the bigger picture, and he got the chance to look at the big picture, even if the timing was wrong.

great thread, Tempe.

Tempe Arizona

QUOTE (sprocket @ May 17 2007, 02:25 PM)

This ia a good "would you rather" discussion (actually the reason that thread was started.)

It seems to me like this guy will have some catching up to do on getting a house, but was also given the gift of being able to truly express what he felt about his loved ones, see the world, and have very few strings attached. Then still live. I think that's a blessing in disguise. Sometimes we get stuck on small things instead of looking at the bigger picture, and he got the chance to look at the big picture, even if the timing was wrong.

great thread, Tempe.

Aw, why thankie. I did spend a large part of my college career studying bioethics. I suppose this sort of fits in that category. Well it fits into some sort of ethical debate.

Great points though. He got a second chance and it's only the monetary part that concerns him. He should look at the bigger picture.

Surfer Rosa

...thoughts, thoughts...let's see... I don't believe any sane judicial system would allow such a pretense to succeed, as there's no real damage done by the doctor himself to this patient. The patient went on a shopping spree out of his own free will and it's clear to anyone this behavior couldn't be foreseen by the doctor. But then again most British I know are insane so this guy will probably win at court. LOL

Rosa