Posted by Doug Showalter on September 05, 1998 at 08:14:05:
In Reply to: medical malpractice posted by k.w. on September 05, 1998 at 05:12:55:
Dear kw,
My view is that if serious damage was done to your body and life because of the negligence of a medical professional to whom you had entrusted yourself for care, that you are entitled to seek compensation. The courts can decide whether or not true negligence was involved.
You might want to read my sermon entitled "Forgive and Remember," which is on this web site. It focuses, in part, on the present Roman Catholic Pope who forgave the man who tried to assassinate him. However, the Pope did NOT also try to get that man out of jail.
In my view, it is ethical from a Christian perspective for you to pursue your malpractice suit to recover compensation for real damages to you due to negligence--if you choose to. At the same time, you can also seek in your heart to forgive those who caused those damages. As in the Pope's situation, there are two different levels at work here. Forgiveness between people operates on the personal level. But there is also a broader, societal, legal level to consider, which is reflected in part, by your comment, "I don't what this to happen to anyone else."
You also seem to suggest a practical dimension to your situation, namely, that the malpractice suit itself could create problems for you and your family, due to the strategies of the opposing attorneys. In view of that, is carrying forth with the suit worth it? The truth is, only you can make that decision.
Best wishes. I am sorry for your anguish. May God help you find a clear path through this situation and give you much hope and happiness in the future.
Doug Showalter