A response to the letter in Bangor Daily News
Posted: February 26, 2001, 19:04
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Wednesday, February 21, 2001
Having reviewed Stephen Podolsky’s scolding of Stephen King (BDN, Feb. 17-18) for suing his insurance company to recover what he believes to be his, I must respond.
Podolsky says King has enough money, therefore he doesn’t need more. Then he speaks of the lawyer’s cut, should it settle, and goes on to say that the insurance company claims it paid the maximum allowed for his policy, adding that we all will suffer if King should recover what is justly his through higher insurance rates. I doubt even Podolsky believes those gentle, loving insurance peddlers are being forthright in claiming they have paid their debt to King. I’ll lay you odds they didn’t.
King believes he has been shortchanged. Just because he’s who he is has no bearing on his decision to go forth with a lawsuit. Indeed, as Podolsky points out, he will never “replace the pain and suffering” he endured with money. What did he buy the policy for; perhaps to have an insurance agent stop by periodically and pat his hand and reassure him they care about his pain? Insurance companies operate solely for money.
Many of us have had to go to court to recover what’s ours from insurers who will spend more to prevent payment than to settle. They have been able to purchase their way with political lobbying and protective legislation, and we pay.
My hope is that King prevails. If he does, perhaps a long overdue expose of an uncontrolled insurance industry will be upcoming. Would it be an honest mistake or would it be a form of extortion? Maybe he’ll lose. But he has every right to test them in spite of his wealth or Podolsky’s predisposition to pamper the opposition.
George F. McCann
