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Not too long ago, I watched Pretty Woman, said “NO” to drugs, and busted my knee open on Park Ave. The fast track to riches these days always seems to involve sex or drugs. But for New Yorkers, civil lawsuits could be a burgeoning career. For all aspiring “working girls” the Bunny Ranch in Nevada is too far, and if you’re reading this you’re probably not willing to compromise your education with a felony drug charge. So where do the lawsuits come in? There are options. According to the New York City Independent Budget Office, the top 5 ways to make money from suing the city are: medical malpractice claims, sidewalks, motor vehicle claims, other personal injury claims, and (drumroll please) police actions! In 2004, the city paid out a whopping $576 MILLION to claimants. So, next time you meet and greet the cold concrete because there’s a gaping hole in the sidewalk, remember, you could be taking a bite out of the city’s budget pie. Too bad I missed my chance!
It is sad that citizens of this country has resorted to extorting money form their country. I’m not saying that some incidents are not legitimate. However, on arriving in this country a couple years ago, one of the most common jokes about getting quick money that was told to me, was “just fall down on the sidewalk or in a major department store! You’ll be set for life.” This surprised me since where I come from in the Caribbean, falling on the sidewalk is viewed as an accident. No one would stop to think about how they could use the situation to their advantage to steal money, because that’s what it is stealing.