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Originally posted by Timber Loftis:
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Originally posted by Moiraine:
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....there is and can be NO scale on which the worth of a human being could be measured ! [img]smile.gif[/img]
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Speaking professionally:
- A death case is worth a base $1 mil. when figuring on settlement.
- Excessive pain and suffering can raise this substantially.
- A mutilation case can be worth more. Permanent brain damage and handicap will top the death value and be worth at least $ 5 mil.
- This is all modified by "earning potential" over the lifetime. Yes, a doctor's wife gets more money from a death case than a laborer's wife, all other things taken equally.
Assignment to the value of life is in the legal system every day. Not countering any points with this, just an FYI. 
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And is money the only way to measure somethings worth? A bottle of water costs less than a bottle of oil, but which is worth more to you if you're thirsty? Is 5 million dollars worth more to you than your very life itself? Would someone pay 5 million dollars to save the life of a man that raped their daughter? Would someone pay 20 million dollars to save the life of their daughter?
Assigning monetary value to life and injuries is an attempt at compensation, not a definitive measurement on the value of peoples lives.
A person can get 40 million dollars for injuring themself on the steps on the New York City library, yet someone injured defewnding America in war, only gets $250,000 or so. Are you suggesting that the unemployed thief who injures himself on the steps is worth more to America than the Marine simply because he gets more in compensation?
Additionally, you are using AMOUNTS RECEIVED, not amounts contributed. Earnings potential, not contributions potential. What of the tireless humanitarian volunteer who gives their whole life towards imporving the lives of Americas children, thus ensurig the nations future. What if they are prevented from working because of injury. The earnings they may have received may have been paltry, but what of the children robbed of brilliance love and devotion?
Is money the only way to measure worth? How much does love cost? How much is compassion per day? What about inspiration? What do I pay to get that? Hope? Is hope rising in value? Trust? Self esteem? Has the value of self esteem plummetted bacause someone flooded the market?