Sally's per-diem is $80 x 30 days for a total of $2,400 for her pain and suffering. God causes far more pain and suffering than . But after three long years of holding on, during a visit from Cheryl's pastor, the wife trusted Christ on her deathbed and the husband received assurance of his salvation. A good beginning point is in the psalms of lament. The Holy Father tells us that in Old Testament biblical language, suffering and evil are at first identified with each other. As the saying goes, Everything is legal, but not everything is profitable.. The bottom line is that most types of workplace injury claims can only be resolved through the workers' comp . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What Does the Bible Say About Helping Others Too Much? In these two verses, Paul lists several types of suffering mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. The Lord's purpose in both storms was to train them to stop relying on their physical eyes and use their spiritual eyes. For example, if an individual's medical bills amounted to $50,000, the calculated pain and suffering for a 3X multiplier would peg damages at $150,000. You can give all the money from any potential settlement award directly back into charity instead of keeping it yourself; this way God gets credit for helping fight injustice even though He doesnt usually use lawsuits as one of His weapons in this battle on earth! They will know if it really would glorify God or not. I know the Bible says Christians should not sue Christians, but is it okay to sue non-Christians? Taken from: L'Osservatore Romano Weekly Edition in English 7 September 2005, page 9. The Bible speaks of suing and the importance of seeking justice (1 Timothy 6:7), but it does not specifically address this issue. There are many other options available besides suing those who have wronged us. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.". grief. Then we can turn around and walk alongside others in their pain, showing the compassion that our own suffering has produced in us. Our culture disdains weakness, but our frailty is a sign of God's workmanship in us. How this has encouraged and strengthened me in the valleys of suffering and pain! He not only teaches those we rub shoulders with every day, but He instructs the countless millions of angels and demons. For further help and information you may wish to visit the website of Peacemaker Ministries. "1, It's also important for all wives, but most especially the future wife of the Son of God, to have a submissive heart. Their medical costs and lost wages are economic damages. In light of the tragedies we've experienced lately, such as shootings and wildfires, some may ask why there is pain and suffering in the world. Catastrophic injuries that cause long-term disabilities often bring multi-million dollar settlements to compensate for past and future pain and suffering. The apostle Paul wrote, We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:89). Towards the end of the book Business by the Book, published by Thomas Nelson, I provide the following answer: In view of the fact that there were no corporations in existence when the Bible was written, the best we can do in order to relate the principle to the closest parallel of that time: a government agency. The nothing from which this new world of happiness or the definitive Paradise flows is not an innocent nothingness but a guilty nothingness that is the greatest evil - sin - which leads definitively to the Cross. As for evil, it is a deprivation; it has no positive value in . In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! Thus, suffering involves solidarity (cf. It prepares us for heaven by teaching us how unfulfilling life on earth is and helping us develop an eternal perspective. Exodus 21:22 states that if men who were fighting struck a pregnant woman during a fight and she gave birth prematurely but without serious injury, then the offender had to pay a fine equivalent to what the womans husband demanded and the court approved. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. You cannot sue a doctor you overheard giving medical advice in a social setting. You can sue for pain and suffering for economic and non-economic losses. One first needs to frame the enigma correctly and begin to seek its cause. To determine whether you can sue for pain and suffering damages, you must first look at liability in your case. This is now official and organized through health-care institutions and the professionals who work in them, and also through volunteers. While I Believe that the bible does not directly state that Christians Are to hold corporations and wrongdoers accountable on behalf of others, it is consistent with the focus on justice that scripture places on the law to hold that View. Also, the Bible discusses the consequences of suing another Christian, so we can infer that there are negative consequences for doing so (1 Corinthians 6:1-8). It generally is important to select a qualified attorney to help you pursue your pain and suffering settlement. In the Fourth Song of the Suffering Servant in the Book of Isaiah, the meaning of Christ's suffering in the passion is portrayed even more vividly than it is in the Gospels. feelings of alienation. Through all this I've been brought closer to God. First, choose your state: . The disciples experienced two different storms out on the lake. May we always seek to wrap our arms around the enfeebled, to clutch them to ourselves as if they were our own children. Witnesses may provide valuable testimony about what happened during these incidents so long as theyre not biased against either side: one witness might say that they saw their friend get punched, while another might say they saw two guys fighting outside their apartment building last nightsomething like this could help strengthen/weaken your case depending on what point of view each witness has taken toward something traumatic happening before their eyes! Christians may also face trials and suffer simply because we live in a world full of sin. We need to be reminded that we are living in "Plan B." Depending on the issue, you may have strong opinions about it. But God brings suffering in our lives for the sake of our eternal joy yes, even glory. I think that the development of the Pope's thought climbs six steps towards the fullness of the mystery of suffering and pain; we can sum them up as follows: Suffering is not in itself evil but is the effect of a negative cause. The original version of this article is found at www.probe.org/the-value-of-suffering/. February 28, 2023. Injuries that arent physical still can bring large pain and suffering settlements, such as a wrongful termination that causes significant humiliation or depression. Suffering is excellent at teaching us humble dependence on God, the only appropriate response to our Creator. Ouch! Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. 2 Corinthians 1:9 tells us that hardships and sufferings happen "so that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.". Ohio limits non-economic damages in all torts to $250,000 or three times economic damages, capped at $350,000 for a single plaintiff or $500,000 total if there are multiple plaintiffs. The Pope ends by saying that the mystery of man is revealed in Christ, and the mystery of man is very specially connected to suffering. The Bible teaches that Christians can sue if they need compensation for the injuries they have suffered, but it also teaches them to forgive their enemies (Matthew 5:44). If you can see the purpose behind the pain, you can find the way out of this lie. National and International Religion Report, Vol. It further affirms that suffering is a punishment inflicted for self-correction, since good follows evil, leading to conversion and to rebuilding goodness (cf. This includes being charitable towards those who have wronged us or caused harm. Proverbs 25:8. The hosts in heaven stand amazed when they observe God sustain hurting people with His peace."4. Tertullian said: "Credo quia ineptum".By experiencing relief from evil through suffering, and through that cruelest form of suffering which sums up all imaginable forms of suffering, the Cross, this "ineptum",becomes "aptum",the most just and rational that we can imagine, for it is the only way to experience happiness. Exodus 21:27. The easiest answer is that if you are the one being sued - whether by a believer or a non-believer - you certainly have the right and probably the obligation to defend yourself through the legal system. However, each case is unique and the severity of injury and factors involved in that specific case will impact the settlement amount offered. Suffering reminds us that we live in an abnormal world. The book of Job shows us there can be two ways to respond to suffering: one that curses God because of suffering and one that praises God, even in the midst of suffering (Job 2:910). Mental Pain and Suffering. Were on a mission to change that. Pain and suffering are subjective in nature. Our primary objective, however, should be to resolve the matter without bringing a lawsuit to court. We'd love to hear from you, please enter your comments. The psalmist learned this lesson as he wrote in Psalm 119:67: "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. Oswald Chambers, Our Utmost for His Highest, September 1. Recipients of pain and suffering claims may be eligible for monetary compensation that accounts for their lossesand helps them recover from their injuries. Each person in his or her suffering is united with the suffering of Christ, and thus this suffering mysteriously becomes a source of life and resurrection. 3. Articles and answers on lots of topics at Probe.org. Then, given the Holy Father's openness to all human values, it seems to me that it would be interesting to allude to and discuss certain key thoughts on four solutions from outside the Christian context. Jesus said that we should settle with an adversary on the way to court. There are also times when this collective suffering becomes more acute. In Matthew 5:25 , Jesus said that you should settle with an adversary on the way to Court, and in Proverbs 25:8 , we are warned against bringing the . Suffering scoops us out, making our hearts bigger so that we can hold more love for Him. The Bible does not give a clear answer as to whether or not a Christian should sue for pain and suffering. I love this paraphrase of Romans 8:28: "The Lord may not have planned that this should overtake me, but He has most certainly permitted it. Settlement could range from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Sometimes suffering literally prepares us for heaven. This means that "pain and suffering" compensation is not intended to compensate for a specific monetary loss, such as a medical bill and lost wages. God whispers to us in our pleasurebut shouts in our pain; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.". Pope John Paul II states: "Suffering is something which is still wider than sickness", because there is a "distinction between physical suffering and moral suffering" (Salvifici Doloris, n. 5). Christian contractors may be unable to pay their employees and support their families without this money. 1:4) because we have experienced the reality of the Holy Spirit being there for us, walking alongside us in our pain. I think that the more important question should be, Am I bringing glory to God? If you are not sure if your decision is the best one, then ask a trusted Christian friend or family member who has known you for a long time. What if the person in question is a believer? For example, if the actual cost of the injury was $1,000, pain and . As a last resort, God has established the courts as a means of resolving disputes. The expense in terms of time, money and emotional outlay usually offsets any potential financial gain that might be expected from the case. But Jesus said, I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. For we find ourselves in intimacy with the Blessed Trinity, in the loving reality of the unity of the Triune God and in the depths of this mystery. Medical malpractice is alarmingly common in the United States. In the end, God always judges our attitudes, and just because something is permissible doesnt mean its the right thing to do. Evil is sin and suffering, death. We can comfort others with the comfort that we have received from God (2 Cor. Other factors could involve the newsworthiness of your case, how far along in litigation the case is, and whether you bear any responsibility for the accident or injury. Jan's suffering has given her an appreciation of the reality of heaven, and she's . According to 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, lawsuits against believers are not permitted. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragn, President of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, gave a lecture in July, in Aachen, Germany, on "Pain, an enigma or a mystery?". If someone is suing you for pain and suffering, then perhaps it is because they are experiencing financial hardship due to their own negligence or wrongdoing. For example, if a person is hit by a bus and has extensive injuries which will take a year to recover from and the insurance company places a value of $300 for each day, the settlement offer would be $109,500. Often, legal counsels will recommend that you file a lawsuit against your insurance company for loss as well as punitive damages. . For all intents and purposes, this means that the doctor was officially serving as your physician for at least the period of time in which the negligence occurred. All Rights Reserved. Often times, yes. 8). Emotional distress is a type of 'pain and suffering' damage. Answer. The amount of money you seek in your lawsuit can depend on your injury and also the legal limits in your jurisdiction. Pain and suffering is a type of non-economic damage that the victim has suffered. It gets us closer to what we were created to becompletely dependent on God. With all this said, it is important to remember that you need to ask yourself if you would want to be forgiven by God if you were in trouble? Limited Right to Sue - By choosing the Limitation on Lawsuit Option, you agree not to sue the person who caused an auto accident for your pain and suffering unless you sustain one of the permanent injuries listed below . Suffering gives rise to love for those who suffer, a disinterested love to help them by relieving it. we just need to trust Him. Serve the defendants notice of your lawsuit. In Christ the enigma of pain and death is revealed. Paul explained what happens in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. When someone is injured by another person or business, there are two ways to approach the situation: suing or forgiving. I shall first mention briefly several facts about the physiology of human pain. No set standard exists for calculating how pain and suffering should be compensated. 2008 Ron Blue. Suffering produces growth and maturity (James 1:2-4). Taking this advice is wise, since lawsuits can rob us of our peace of mind (Proverbs 29:9). Focus on the Familys counselors would be happy to listen to your concerns and come alongside you with some practical suggestions. He does know what He's doing . . Yes The average slip and fall settlement is between $15,000 and $45,000 for total damages. Joni Tada said, "You were made for one purpose, and that is to make God real to those around you. But not always. 17). As Christians, we are not to seek revenge for wrongdoing (see Leviticus 19:18 and Deuteronomy 32:35), and this includes suing for more than what is actually lost or suing in order to make a point. ibid.,n. Thanks to the Greek language however, a distinction is made particularly in the New Testament between suffering and evil. Ever since the fall of Adam, we keep forgetting that God created us to depend on Him and not on ourselves. That's what suffering will do for us. Injured people sometimes use claims related to pain as a way to justify higher payouts than those warranted by actual damages caused by negligence or wrongdoing; these types of lawsuits are generally referred to as pain and suffering cases because their goal is simply to receive compensation for an injury-related problem without regard for how much damage was actually done (i.e., whether or not someone was hurt). Christ provides an answer to the problem of suffering by offering his unreserved availability and compassion; his presence is effective: he gives help and gives himself (cf. The first method is to multiply the plaintiff's actual damages (medical bills and lost wages) by a certain number, generally between 1 and 5 (depending on the severity of the injury). a. a place of unending suffering and pain. Romans 5:12 confirms that this happened after Adam's fall, "Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all . Because damages for "pain and suffering" are subjective and can be extremely different in each case, settlements and jury verdicts for these damages can be unpredictable. My husband once told me that heaven is more real to me than anyone he knows. Only in love is it possible to find the saving response to pain. We learn in Hebrews 12:10 that we are enabled to share in His holiness through the discipline of enduring hardship. 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