Posted on 03/19/2007 9:28:04 AM PDT by Abathar
FLUSHING, Mich. - A nasty bite on the hand that a man got from his sister's Siamese cat is worth $122,400.
ADVERTISEMENT
A jury on Friday awarded Michael Sabo, 57, the money for an injury he got when the cat, Randy, bit his right hand in March 2004.
Sabo's fingers swelled so much that they looked like "plump hot dogs," his attorney, Tom Pabst, told The Flint Journal, and an infection put Sabo in a hospital for three weeks. He had to pay thousands in medical bills.
Pabst said Sabo's sister, Jean Toney, had warned people not to pick up Randy because he had bitten people before, but the newspaper said the cat leapt into Sabo's lap.
Sabo initially tried to get his sister's homeowner's insurance policy to cover the cost of treatment. When that request was refused, Sabo had no choice but to take the matter to court, Pabst said.
Yeah. Here is Northern Mexico (SoCal), we even have OCTA transit buses driving around with billboards plastered on them advertising latino ambulance chasers... teléfono dos veinte dos veinte dos veinte dos.
You could sell way more than $122K worth of tickets to watch you do that.
"Hello, sis? It's me, Mike. Hey, I got an idea ... how'd you like to split $122,000? Still got your cat?"
Cat bites can be very nasty. My sister in law was bit in the face while she worked for a vet. She lost some use of a facial muscle and had to have plastic surgery for the scar. It became infected and I know the vet got sued and she got a good amount of money. I carry homeowners insurance in case one of my animals bites a person. If the medical bills were that high how else was the guy to pay them? I have a loving Siamese cat although he does like to jump out at you.
Don't be so quick to judge. One spider bite sent me to the hospital for a week of intensive care and a couple of months of rehab... Hospital bill alone was over $12,000.
I have the good fortune of having good insurance and since it happened while I was traveling on business, my short term disability covered insurance covered the lost wages. So my direct financial impact was only about $1,200.
If it had not, the direct financial impact would have been close to $45,000.
On top of that, consider the cost of lawyer fees - likely 50% of sum awarded and the costs are not too unreasonable.
More likely, he is either suing her, and thereby forcing her home owners insurance to cover due to liability clause, or is suing the insurance company directly.
"I carry homeowners insurance in case one of my animals bites a person. If the medical bills were that high how else was the guy to pay them?"
Jury verdicts can be ridiculously excessive, but the insurance company should have paid the guy's meds if he was injured on her insured property.
___
Instead of calling him an ass, perhaps you should re-read the article.
He didn't sue his sister. He tried to get his sister's homeowner's insurance company to pay the medical bills. When they refused, he sued them.
If I were in the same position, I'd do the same thing. Instead of paying for a couple of thousand in medical bills, the insurance company now gets to dole out $122k. Serves them right.
Did you read the part about the three weeks in the hospital and the thousands of dollars of medical bills? Or how about the fact that he initially requested the insurance company to pay without having to sue?
What do you think the sister was buying when she purchased insurance coverage?
Pets are pets. Not family members. If they are a danger to your family in any way - PUT THEM DOWN.
**It was a very bad day for the USA when lawyers were allowed to start advertising on TV.**
"Get the money you DESERVE!"
You're damned right it was. Many Americans apparently view lawsuits like playing the lottery.
Legislation has been passed in many locales to make frivolous lawsuits disappear, but it is rarely enforced.
This is a sadly neglected area of law, but it IS important.
Anyone that has spent thousands or tens of thousands defending themselves from baseless lawsuits KNOWS this.
But, alas, it's the damned lawyers that make the laws.
They have a vested interest in keeping the status quo.
This is nothing. Micky D's was sued for millions over spilt hot coffee. The woman's dick didn't fall off.
Was the cat the vets cat? Why did she sue him/her? Didn't she have her own insurance? I would think that vets make their employees sign waivers.
Man, that's some mean...nah, too easy.
Pets 'are' family members....and all animals are capable of harming --in the right circumstances. If a person came over and grabbed my cats tail and it bit them, I'm not blaming my cat. I blame the person.
I'll take your word for it.
Only the deluded think that pets are "family members".
Pets are domesticated ANIMALS. They can be affectionate, warm, loving and all that mushy stuff, but they are no more than animals.
I tell you this NOT because I'm a heartless critter hating wretch, but for your own good. It's a PET, not a PERSON.
For your edification, I am writing this with my cat purring on my lap, one of the (3)tarantulas has realized there's a cricket in her cage and is on the prowl, the budgies are chirping up a storm, the hamster is sound asleep, and there is 275lbs in 3 dogs all curled up on the sofas in the living room 10 feet behind me.
I weep when I lose a critter, but they're NOT FAMILY.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.