ALBANY (AP) - A man is entitled to half the $50,000 workers' compensation death benefit due his son, a victim of the Sept. 11, 2001, World Trade Center attack, even though the father abandoned his family in 1972, a state appeals court has ruled. The Appellate Division of State Supreme Court ruling affirmed a decision by the Workers' Compensation Board that Leon Caldwell should get half his son's benefits because he fits the legal definition of a "parent" in the state Workers' Compensation Law. The court noted in its 4-1 decision Thursday that Caldwell, who had contact with his son only twice since abandoning his family in Philadelphia in September 1972 when the boy was 20 months old, never terminated his parental rights.
Leon Caldwell is not in line to pocket all $25,000 of his son's award, however. The court noted that Caldwell appears to be in arrears more than $20,000 in child support payments, and it ordered that Family Court collect any missed support payments out of the workers' comp award.
Kenneth Caldwell, 30, was among the nearly 3,000 people killed when terrorists flew two jetliners into the trade center.
Absolutely outrageous; this guy gets a couple thousand dollars because of the fact that the son he abandoned died on 9/11.
BoTM / JL / MM / HAB / VRWC / Horseman
I'm studying for the CPA exam. Have a nice summer, and if you're down just sit back and realize that Joe is off somewhere, doing much worse than you are.
Sounds like a by product of compensation culture which seems to be sweeping the West now. How a life can be equated in terms of money is beyond me, but to have this money then sent to a guy who never even cared for that lost life, well, that's just too far.
Forgot to add to this 9/11 money giving thing,i heard that the widow of journalist Daniel Pearl wanted to recieve some of it,claiming she was entitled to this cause "he died victim of terror" first he doesn`t count since he went willingly to Pakistan.
Jerry Orbach 1935 2004 Admiral Valdemar~You know you've fucked up when Wacky Races has more realistic looking vehicles than your own.
I hate to sound like a callous bastard, but none of this compensation should be necessary. If these idiots in the WTC all had life insurance like anyone with dependents is supposed to, then their families wouldn't be financially fucked over by their deaths.
I pay money for life insurance so that if I die, my wife and kids will be provided for. Anyone working in the WTC whose wife and/or kids were left in dire financial straits by their deaths was either an idiot or a deadbeat. Sorry to be the bearer of harsh truths, but there it is.
To be honest, I think the families of 9/11 victims are playing off public sympathy to demand money that they don't deserve. Do you know how many people perish every year in highway accidents or other unforeseen circumstances whose families do not get special taxpayer-funded compensation?
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
Darth Wong wrote:I hate to sound like a callous bastard, but none of this compensation should be necessary. If these idiots in the WTC all had life insurance like anyone with dependents is supposed to, then their families wouldn't be financially fucked over by their deaths.
I pay money for life insurance so that if I die, my wife and kids will be provided for. Anyone working in the WTC whose wife and/or kids were left in dire financial straits by their deaths was either an idiot or a deadbeat. Sorry to be the bearer of harsh truths, but there it is.
To be honest, I think the families of 9/11 victims are playing off public sympathy to demand money that they don't deserve. Do you know how many people perish every year in highway accidents or other unforeseen circumstances whose families do not get special taxpayer-funded compensation?
Mike Wong, the man who not fears to tell harsh truths!
Excellent work!
Darth Wong wrote:I hate to sound like a callous bastard, but
Come on, you don't really hate it. And you're speaking the truth, even if its painful to hear.
Chris: "Way to go dad, fight the machine"
Stewie: "How do you know about the machine?"
--
"I object to you. I object to intellect without discipline. I object to power without constructive purpose."
-Spock, 'The Squire of Gothos'
--
"I'm only 56? Damn, I'll have to get a fake ID to rent ultra-porn".
-Professor Farnsworth, "Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles"
Absolutely correct. Do you know what the average payout for a victim of the 9/11 attacks was? Over $1 million. How about the soldiers that died in Iraq? $32,000.
Does anyone know the total amount given out to these victims?
"Oh no, oh yeah, tell me how can it be so fair
That we dying younger hiding from the police man over there
Just for breathing in the air they wanna leave me in the chair
Electric shocking body rocking beat streeting me to death"
- A.B. Original, Report to the Mist
"I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."
- George Carlin
Darth Wong wrote:
I pay money for life insurance so that if I die, my wife and kids will be provided for. Anyone working in the WTC whose wife and/or kids were left in dire financial straits by their deaths was either an idiot or a deadbeat. Sorry to be the bearer of harsh truths, but there it is.
While I agree buying life insurance is the responsible thing to do as a parent in your situation, not everyone can get it at an affordable rate. I'm not saying you are wrong, but wait till you are 50 and above and need life insurance. The cost can be prohibitive.
Darth Wong wrote:
To be honest, I think the families of 9/11 victims are playing off public sympathy to demand money that they don't deserve. Do you know how many people perish every year in highway accidents or other unforeseen circumstances whose families do not get special taxpayer-funded compensation?
As harsh as this sounds, I tend to agree. Why do they get a bail out simply because it was an act of terrorism? Are we gonna do this for everyone that gets killed by terrorists on American soil?
