Saturday, June 18, 2005

Give me a break...

Another reason I think society as we know it has no redeeming qualities.

Apparently a woman is suing several doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, saying the physicians did not do enough to assist her in making life changes - specifically quitting smoking and losing weight - that might have prevented a debilitating heart attack she suffered.

Kathleen Ann McCormick says the physicians knew she had multiple risk factors to develop heart disease, but they failed to aggressively treat her, leading to a heart attack on Jan. 17, 2000, that left her a "cardiac invalid," according to the lawsuit filed.

Ms. McCormick, if they knew, didn't you know as well? Come on dumbass, is it up to the doctors to make their patients STOP smoking and STOP eating too much food? No one held a gun to your head at the smoke shop or Burger King.

According to the lawsuit:

McCormick was treated at the Wilkes-Barre hospital for various ailments from 1997 to 2000. Physicians knew she had multiple risk factors for heart disease, including obesity, cigarette smoking abuse, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a family history of coronary artery disease.

Despite that knowledge, the physicians never made any attempt to assist her with weight loss, effective cholesterol lowering medications or to provide aggressive treatment to lower her blood pressure.
In addition to the hospital, the lawsuit also names the United States government and a number of physicians as defendants in the case. She is seeking at least $1 million in damages.

Source: Wilkes-Barre (PA) Times-Leader

This sets a legal precedent.

I'm going to sue Ford the very next time I get a speeding ticket, because they manufactured a vehicle that they knew would except the speed limit.

Or better yet, I'm going to sue Budweiser for all the years of stress and mental anguish put upon me for putting up with all the fucking assholes the product they brew produces.

Copyright 2005 Thomas J Wolfenden

1 comment:

Becky said...

She's probably the same woman who sued McDonald's after her husband spilled hot coffee on his lap. (Consortion - look it up. In legal circles, it's what gives a spouse the right to sue over the injury to a spouse.)