Sheila: You too! Brutus!
A doctor friend was sitting on the next bar stool
at our Yacht Club complaining about the high cost of
malpractice insurance. The conversation went like:
Doctor: You trial lawyers are going to put us out of practice.
Ron: Come on Richard. Quite complaining. Have another.
Doctor: I'll tell you Ron, my malpractice insurance cost me
$48,000.00 last year. That was one months income.
Ron: Really.
There was a long silence. My friend had stuck his foot where?
My precision brain said, let's us see, 12 X $48,000.00=$576,000.00
minus $48,000.00 which leaves $528,000.00 for the years gross
income.Assume his overhead was 50%, which I doubt very much. Let's see, that is $264,000.00 pre-tax income. Deduct 35% taxes and that
is a take home of $171,600.00.
The long pause continued. The bar was empty other than the two
of us. Finally I said:
Ron: Richard, you have my sympathy ---Marine Corps fashion.
Doctor: Whats Marine Corps fashion?
Ron: Check the dictionary for sympathy. It falls between shit
and syphilis. That is the Marine Corps definition for sympathy.
I feel for your problem.
Doctor: You are not paying $48,000.00 per year for your malpractice
insurance.
Ron: No and I ain't grossing $576,000.00 per year either. I also
ain't delivering babies like you.
The conversation ended. My friend the doctor is still my friend.
We do not see as much of each other as we once did. We do not sit
at the Yacht Club bar sucking down cold ones anymore. We both have
had the experience of MI. Our life styles have changed. Our priorities
have likewise changed.
Now, my take on why 8 law firms are involved. It's like my sainted
Grandmother would say "Where there is smoke, there is fire." BUT I
really do not know anything at the moment. I will, after I receive
their complaint and other documentation.
Ron |
