-- Wikipedia
When I started the "WOTW" feature it was meant to reflect, as do most of my posts, society at it's best, worst, funnniest and ugliest. The mechanism is photographic exhibits of true and literal writing on walls, be it in graffiti form or actual signs that catch my attention. It often serves as the absurd illustrating the absurd. My template for "WOTW" was a regular feature in Sports Illustrated I used to love called "This Week's Sign that the Apocalypse is Upon Us" (I'm not sure if they still do this). The goal is to make the reader stand back, observe the absurd or humorous, and wonder, "Who in their right mind has the time and energy to put this (expelitive) up on the wall?"
Enter today's episode. I was so disheartened to see this advertisement up on the walls of the subway car. Look at the picture and read my response below:
In case you can't read the sign it says:
"Cerebral Palasy $3,750,000"
"Spastic Quadriplegia $5,000,000"
"Seizure Disorder $4,900,000"
"Paralysis & Seizure $3,650,000"
Awards for medical malpractice suits. My reaction to this was pure and utter disgust. Being part of the medical community, obviously, this one hits close to home. I will be the first to acknowledge that medicine does not have all the answers, nor is it perfect. Mistakes are made, and those responsible must be held accountable. Regardless, no one goes into medicine looking to hurt people, and no one is completely immune from making mistakes. It hurts to see these people's misfortune (patient and doctor alike) being used as a means to increase business. It's not like the sign is saying "We specialize in medical malpractice". This sign is actually tantalizing you by the amount of money you can collect, drawing you in, trying to get you to go after those horrible doctors for every stinkin' dime they're worth. Congratulations, a doctor somewhere made a mistake, a family suffered, and your business boomed. This is truly a portent of doom or misfortune.
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