Family of slain EMT seeks $10 million

[reaper]

So all the "I do it to help my community" goes out the window with death? Anyone that does this job knows the risks involved. This was not unexpected. That is why those of us that do this for a living take care of making sure our families are taken care of.

The agency and community did not force him into the situation. He choose this on his own free will. They could have asked for $200k and it probably would have been given without a court fight. 10 million shows greed intent. The agency or community are not responsible for his family or yours. You choose to do the job, you take the risk. That is why most places hold benefit fund raisers. They try to get the community to help the family, but there is not an obligation to help!

 

[Scott33]

Holy crap you cost me my family and their income and expect me to bury them and try and survive w/o their income on 50,000 - 100,000. :wacko:

How much financial support do you think was provided by a 25-year-old who worked part-time as an EMT?

Let's assume his his hourly rate was $12 per hour and he worked 20 hours per week = ~ $12,500 per year. To earn $10,000,000 (which is what they are suing for, in spite of the fact the final sum may be beaten down) he would need to work until he was 825 years old

Not trying to put the poor guy down, I really do feel sorry for him in what was a tragic event. Just trying to put these obscene figures into proportion, and highlight the greed associated with mourning families who believe money can help with their loss.

Any ideas why they aren't suing the accused?

 

[Scott33]

So all the "I do it to help my community" goes out the window with death? Anyone that does this job knows the risks involved. This was not unexpected. That is why those of us that do this for a living take care of making sure our families are taken care of.

The agency and community did not force him into the situation. He choose this on his own free will. They could have asked for $200k and it probably would have been given without a court fight. 10 million shows greed intent. The agency or community are not responsible for his family or yours. You choose to do the job, you take the risk. That is why most places hold benefit fund raisers. They try to get the community to help the family, but there is not an obligation to help!

Valid points all round

 

[medic417]

How much financial support do you think was provided by a 25-year-old who worked part-time as an EMT?

Let's assume his his hourly rate was $12 per hour and he worked 20 hours per week = ~ $12,500 per year. To earn $10,000,000 (which is what they are suing for, in spite of the fact the final sum may be beaten down) he would need to work until he was 825 years old

Not trying to put the poor guy down, I really do feel sorry for him in what was a tragic event. Just trying to put these obscene figures into proportion, and highlight the greed associated with mourning families who believe money can help with their loss.

Any ideas why they aren't suing the accused?

See you fail to factor in him actually getting a true profession. You fail to factor in higher wages. At 25 he easily would work another 40 years. Lets say he goes Paramedic. In my area they make over $50000 a year working 12 shifts. So then he also works part time for another service. Not factoring pay raises he is gatting $75000 a year X 40 years = $3 million. Factor in raises or even higher paid professions he might have been looking to moving to and it would easily be over $10 million. Sorry to say my figures are much more realistic than yours.

And reaper we know the risks but also should expect our familys will be rewarded for our sacrifice.

 

[Scott33]

See you fail to factor in him actually getting a true profession. You fail to factor in higher wages. At 25 he easily would work another 40 years. Lets say he goes Paramedic. In my area they make over $50000 a year working 12 shifts. So then he also works part time for another service. Not factoring pay raises he is gatting $75000 a year X 40 years = $3 million. Factor in raises or even higher paid professions he might have been looking to moving to and it would easily be over $10 million. Sorry to say my figures are much more realistic than yours.

Sure, or he could have won a hundred million on lotto, so why not up the stakes based on that possibility.

Sorry your argument holds very little water, and is based on anything between conjecture and fantasy. But, as long as there are people who subscribe to the 101 "what if this were to happen - even though it didn't" argument, such as yours, Lawyers will continue to be among the highest paid professionals around.

I have to wonder if you are as avid with your support of every soldier who has ever stood on a landmine, for example, who could argue that they have been robbed at the opportunity of 5-star General, and whos pension and benefits (if you are to believed) should be based upon 5-star general salary and lifestyle, and nothing else.

 

[medic417]

Sure, or he could have won a hundred million on lotto, so why not up the stakes based on that possibility.

Sorry your argument holds very little water, and is based on anything between conjecture and fantasy. But, as long as there are people who subscribe to the 101 "what if this were to happen - even though it didn't" argument, such as yours, Lawyers will continue to be among the highest paid professionals around.

I have to wonder if you are as avid with your support of every soldier who has ever stood on a landmine, for example, who could argue that they have been robbed at the opportunity of 5-star General, and whos pension and benefits (if you are to believed) should be based upon 5-star general salary and lifestyle, and nothing else.

If a soldier is wounded or killed family should be taken care of, those that they were fighting for should w/o being asked take care of their family.

My example of wages were factual you throwing lottery is the bogus example, as is 5 star general. I did not give him a high paying job, I gave him standard Paramedic wage. Lawyers should not have been needed.

The service and the community should have showed up with money in hand long before now. But I guess they are so used to getting everything free they just assume they should not pay anything now either. Just another reason volunteer EMS needs to disappear.

 

[reaper]

If you want to be realistic, I would put gross pay at $36-40k a year. Add $20k a year for parttime job.

$60K x 40 years of work= 2.4 million. The family should not be provided for 40 years worth. They should be provided maybe 1-2 years worth, to have time to adjust. So, we could say $120k would be good. Now take out taxes that would have been paid. That leaves $96k for the family.

That is about what I stated he should receive. Then again, that is what a decent life insurance would pay out too!!

 

[Scott33]

Just another reason volunteer EMS needs to disappear.

Least we agree on that.

 

[medic417]

If you want to be realistic, I would put gross pay at $36-40k a year. Add $20k a year for parttime job.

$60K x 40 years of work= 2.4 million. The family should not be provided for 40 years worth. They should be provided maybe 1-2 years worth, to have time to adjust. So, we could say $120k would be good. Now take out taxes that would have been paid. That leaves $96k for the family.

That is about what I stated he should receive. Then again, that is what a decent life insurance would pay out too!!

I disagree. Why should his family suffer? Why should they be stuck with the house and car payments that were loans based on his income? Honestly I can not imagine leaving my family with only 2 years of salary. That would be selfish on my part. Why should the kids do w/o college?

Many financial advisers suggest having 10 years of salary and enough to pay off all debts as a minimum. So if we back off the 40 and do the math at 10 years plus current debt you get back to around the amount I said they would get after this gets settled, about $500,000. Sadly when forced to sue you have to start high so that you can get a reasonable settlement. If they started at $500,000 they would be doing good to get an offer of $50,000.

Again the service and the community failed royally by not immediately taking care of this.

 

[Sasha]

Why should the kids do w/o college?

Sorry, this really has nothing to do with the thread, but it's a pet peeve.

You're assuming the parents were going to pay for college for them, and you don't have to have your parents pay for you to go to college. They have grants and loans and scholarships for that reason, to make college obtainable to everyone and not just those with rich mommys and daddys.

A death of a family member shouldn't be your ticket to easy street and relieve you from having to work for 10 years.

 

[medic417]

Sorry, this really has nothing to do with the thread, but it's a pet peeve.

You're assuming the parents were going to pay for college for them, and you don't have to have your parents pay for you to go to college. They have grants and loans and scholarships for that reason, to make college obtainable to everyone and not just those with rich mommys and daddys.

Actually it is a reasonable request that is often included in law suits.

 

[Sasha]

Actually it is a reasonable request that is often included in law suits.

Just because it's often included in lawsuits doesn't mean it's reasonable. It insinuates that because the father died they will never be able to go to college. That's a myth. Money's out there, you just gotta get off your butt and fill out the form.

 

[medic417]

Just because it's often included in lawsuits doesn't mean it's reasonable. It insinuates that because the father died they will never be able to go to college. That's a myth. Money's out there, you just gotta get off your butt and fill out the form.

Not everyone is approved for grants and student loans. Plus in the next ten years there may be even fewer sources of funding available for education. So why not have a fund established for the kids education? Other than some that had to do it on there own being bitter that someone could get education w/o worrying about money there is no reason to oppose it.