27 August 2011

Questions around an amputated penis

The story by itself is hardly funny:

A man is suing the Louisville Jewish Hospital in Kentucky for amputating his penis during a routine circumcision.
Since it was published in JC, I've assumed first that it is another one of the famous "shaking hand" circumcision horror stories. But no:
Philip Seaton was scheduled to have a circumcision to remove inflammation. But the lawyer for surgeon Dr John Patterson said that Dr Patterson had discovered cancer during the surgery in October 2007.
Anyway, I would have forgotten the story immediately, if not the following statement:
Mr Seaton and his wife Deborah are seeking damages as compensation for "loss of service, love and affection".
I assume that the list of the lost abilities above comes from the lawyer. Because, not being a lawyer, I am feeling lost contemplating it. Let's see:
  • Service - check
  • Love - oh well, love should survive the loss, but OK - check.
  • Affection - no, I don't get it. How does one provide (or display) affection using this specific appendage? Maybe the judge should ask the lawyer to demonstrate?
Strange, that.

P.S. The plaintiff lost the suit after all. Probably his lawyer couldn't prove that affection clause.

P.P.S After reading the material I could find on the net, the only Jewish connection of this whole story is the name of the hospital where it happened. So why British JC picked it up is unclear.

6 comments:

jams o donnell said...

Where oh where was Foreskin Man when he was needed!

Hmm with cancer of the bell end I doubt Seaton would have been up for much, ahem, affection

SnoopyTheGoon said...

Well, maybe not exactly up, but at least hanging out...

Dick Stanley said...

Inflamation, eh? Has Foreskin man heard the news? He'd better watch out. Keep things nice and clean, etc.

Katie said...

I would love to be a juror on that panel.

SnoopyTheGoon said...

Thought about him too, but he is so busy nowadays with all these magic devices that return his lost foreskin.

SnoopyTheGoon said...

Not sure it's as exciting as it sounds.