mrdannyg 274 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Thanks very much guys! Link to post Share on other sites
Zach6668 513 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Ill retract...I dont think all lawyers are scum obviously.. But the legal system is flawed..When an innocent defendant , who is obvioulsy innocent has to spend a bazillion dollars defending himself. We could of pursued the case further and gone to trial, maybe taking 2-3 years in process...We could then sue the plaintiff for legal costs.. Then what, if she cant pay, then we are out 10s of thousands still Capitalism. Link to post Share on other sites
Untilted 158 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 One idea that I think might help is when the Judge determines that a lawsuit is frivolous, he then has the power to sentence the plaintiff to community service. Sort of a payback for wasting the courts time Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 One idea that I think might help is when the Judge determines that a lawsuit is frivolous, he then has the power to sentence the plaintiff to community service. Sort of a payback for wasting the courts time Thats a pretty good idea, but doesnt really help the defendant..Plaintiff lawyers(ambulance chasers, for lack of a better term) are working on a percentage basis..Most times the plaintiff doesnt have enough money to pursue a long drawn out process. The problem is that until a case gets to trial, there is so much that has happened by then...If you are defending a lawsuit, before trial you are already in deep in legal costs.. Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 The following story is the ordeal that my family has been put through the past year....Its been a very tough year for everyone, as we have gone through a lot...Thankfully things are looking up and we have survived. I write this story more for myself, as I find talking about a release, and helps with the healing process. Some back history first: For those of you that dont know, my father has been a very successful family physician with a large practice. He was doing extremely well back in Turkey as a doctor back in 1980, however things were not well for us Armenians at that time. Succesful Armenians back then were targeted and the situation wasnt very good. We had death threats, and threats to kidnap me( I was 7 at the time) and my parents decided we were leaving. From the decision to leaving was less than a month..My grandparents and other family members had already migrated to Toronto, so it was natural that we ended up here. We came here as visitors, and stayed as refugees....Finally getting our immigration papers done after a long ordeal. Even though my dad was practicing medicine in Turkey for a good 7-8 years, he had to start all over...Had to pass medical exams, do internship, residency all the while not making any income. My mom worked a job just to support us for the first 4 years...It was tough, we lived in a small apartment in Victoria Park and Eglinton, which is now not the greatest area...Things worked out, my dad started practicing and grew his practice into about 5000 patients. He was/is greatly respected in the Armenian Community, doing not only charity work here, but started a huge project in Armenia...They visited there 2-3 times a year building free clinics for women and children and dental facilities. I would say this cost him $100s of thousands over the last 20 or so years. Fast forward to April 9, 2014. I get one of those calls that we all are scared to get..My mom is frantic on the phone saying my dad was rushed to St Michaels Hospital after being in an accident. We dont know any details, I drop everything and head downtown. We find out much later that the accident was a cause of a brain hemorrhage, that had him confused all morning.. He ended on a route he never goes to, he had 3 minor traffic accidents, the last one being swiped by a delivery truck as he didnt see him coming from the left side...The hemorrhage had caused him to lose sight on the left side.. The first few days at the hospital , were very difficult..We didnt know exactly what happened..We were told, it could of been a stroke, brain tumor...They had to do tests, catscans, MRIs until we found out...He was in ICU for 2 days , then in regular hospital for 2 weeks and then rehab facility for 2 months. My father was an extremely active person..He would work 50 hours a week, play 3 rounds of golf and constantly travel. It was very difficult to see him in the state that he was. Right away my wife and I were thrown into taking care of the business. We had 30-50 patients scheduled everyday for the next 2 weeks..We had a locum doctor come in to take care of the patients until when and if my dad was to come back. Which brings us to my dad's secretary of 25 years. My family(mom, wife and I) never liked the woman. However she had worked herself into a position where she was very hard to replace. She spoke Armenian, Turkish, English and French which suited the practice perfectly. Over the years, we had several incidents where we lost patients, had numerous complaints due to this woman, but at every opportunity my dad turned a blind eye, as he didnt want to hurt her and her family..Before you guys had ideas of a gorgeous 20 something secretary, NOOO...I always used to joke, I thought she was a man..Anyways, thats not really relevant. The main point is we always told my dad, one day this woman is going to do something to ruin us...But he never listened. He treated her like a daughter and her family as well..Bought prom dresses for her daughter..Took everyone out to numerous dinners and so on..She took advantage of this..Also she was grossly overpaid. With no medical training, no computer skills and not even a college degree she was making $65000.... Little bit on the business model of how the doctors office makes money...When my dad is working we billed Ohip under his name and all the money obviously went to him...When we brought the other doctors in , we were getting just money for overhead , which amounted to about 20-30% of billings . Which after paying expenses , we were bleeding $5000-$8000 a month..This is without me or my wife taking any money from the business. We both worked there(ruining our own businesses) to keep the business going. Also to help the patients. Most of these patients were Armenian or Turkish and had nowhere else they wanted to go. My wife and I would translate for them, and they felt that they were being taken care of.. In June of last year we had to make a decision, we were losing tons of money every month. The main problem being the secretary. Not only were we not making the income, there was lot less work to do for her. We were seeing a lot less patients, as the locum was only part time. So she would come in late, leave early..Skip days, all the while collecting her full income every 2 weeks. We came to a decision as a family, which was very difficult as we know she has a family to support as well, and sat her down with 2 options. We said, we can do one of two things. We can lay you off until my dad comes back(this way you can get EI) or we can have you come in on a reduced hours basis , only when the doctor is in....This was on a Thursday afternoon, she said she would let us know by Monday. On that Monday , we get a call from her lawyer that both options are not acceptable to her..Unless we keep continuing to pay her at the same income, she would refuse to accept any option. Now at no point did she call me or my mom, to say lets sit down and discuss what we can do..She didnt say lets try to work out an arrangement , she got a lawyer and threatened us. This is a woman that my dad took care of for 25 years. She was sort of part of the family, even though I knew one day her true colours would emerge.. Naturally my first phone call was to get a lawyer and discuss what our options were. He said there is something in law called "frustration of contract" and this was a perfect case of it. Since my dad was the business, and he is no longer able to work due to a medical problem, we have a great defence if she wants to pursue legal matters. On the advice of our lawyer , that Friday we gave a letter asking her to vacate the office as her services were no longer required. Within 3 days , we mailed her the cheque that she was owed up to that Friday, as well as 8 weeks of severance pay that was required under the Employment Act. This obviously irked her lawyer and he threatened to pursue legal action, and at the advice of our lawyer, we said there is nothing we can do. It took a couple of months , until my dad was finally served with papers showing that she was suing him for $100000 for unjust dismissal. Now at this stage, my dad is in rehab, he is getting used to his livelihood taken away from him..He cant drive, he cant work...He has cognitive issues...On top of all this we have to deal with a lawsuit . Lawyers went back and forth, preparing papers, researching cases...The costs just keep adding up...Even sending the lawyer one email is $30 ...After realizing we arent going to give in, she lowered her demands to $50000..We said no..As a gesture and for her to go away we offered $5000 and a letter of reference, the lawyer laughed it off.. Fast forward to yesterday. Both sides had agreed to take the case to mediation. A mediator is not a judge, he is a neutral expert party that specializes in these matters. He listened to both sides and agreed with our lawyer, that there is really no case that she could ever win. However there isnt really much precedent either. After hearing the mediator she lowered her demand to $20000.. Now at this stage, we are caught in a terrible situation. IF We refuse a settlement, and go onto next stage of process...Next step was discovery, where my dad would have to go through extensive medical tests, questioning...Also the fact that the legal bill would run up...Our lawyer said if they want to go all the way to trial, we can delay it for up to 3 years..But by then , we are out probably another $30000 in legal costs. But I just couldnt advise my dad to agree to a settlement..He did nothing wrong, other than have a tragic medical situation that turned his life upside down. We told the lawyer final offer $7500 and legal costs...Now at this stage she knows there is no chance in hell , she is getting anywhere near what she wants..Her legal bill is piling up..The mediator kept pushing us and we finally had to agree to $10000 plus the cost of the mediator... I felt we had NO option. We really didnt want to settle..We know we have a great case...Our lawyer and the mediator agree....I rather have paid the lawyer than to see that money hungry woman get a penny, but the added stress it was going to cause my family, most importantly my dad wasnt worth it. Now at the end of the day, my parents are out about $25000 after legal costs and the settlement. She is probably only getting about $3000 from all this after her costs..If she came to us properly and said can we come to some sort of agreement where you can keep me on a bit longer, or pay me out something until I can find a job, maybe we could of worked out a deal. She hasnt been able to find any job, as she has been blacklisted from the community..The medical community in Toronto is fairly close knit and people know the type of person she is and she turned out to be. My parents lifestyle changed over night, they sold their house and now live in a condo..My dad lived a lavish lifestyle..Where he would spend , whatever he earned..He didnt save a lot of money..However dont feel sorry for them, as they will be ok financially..They just wont be able to travel to Europe 3 times a year anymore and drived the brand new leased Mercedes every 2 years. They have a great circle of friends, they will be coming to spend a part of the year with us in nicer weather and get away in the winters. They will enjoy their retirement. It just wasnt supposed to happen this way, and literally overnight. The day before his accident by dad saw 50 patients in his office. He hasnt worked since. The office is now closed as we couldnt continue to keep it running. Enjoy your life everyday, as tomorrow might not be the same as today. Link to post Share on other sites
Zach6668 513 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I'm sorry to have to read that, Serge. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Thanks for sharing, Serge. I hope your Dad fully recovers and finds happiness and doesn't let one parasite change how much of a caring person he obviously is. Things seem to have a way of working out and maybe this life change allows your Dad to relax a bit more and enjoy a better quality of life. As for the lawyer issues...they are scum. They bank on certain things. One of the worst things you can do for yourself and one of the things lawyers love is when you make things personal...which you may have done in this case. However, none of that matters now because it's over and done with and can't be changed. Find the positives in what you and your family had to go through and learn something from it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Dubey 1,035 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 That sucks Serge Link to post Share on other sites
MapleLeafpoker 1,462 Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 tough story, but it looks like you're all making the best of a bad situation and moving on. Wish you all the best with that. Hopefully, you can watch your father play with your sons next Christmas in your outdoor swimming pool. Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Im registered for the Sports Jeopardy Online Test on May 19th...First step to getting on the show.. Problem is I am travelling to California that day , so hopefully will make it to an internet location in time. Link to post Share on other sites
gruven 530 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Im registered for the Sports Jeopardy Online Test on May 19th...First step to getting on the show.. Problem is I am travelling to California that day , so hopefully will make it to an internet location in time. Good luck. Sports jeopardy is insanely difficult since general knowledge just doesn't cut it. The guys who win sports trivia shows REALLY know their shit. You remember Stump The Schwab? Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Good luck. Sports jeopardy is insanely difficult since general knowledge just doesn't cut it. The guys who win sports trivia shows REALLY know their shit. You remember Stump The Schwab? Yes totally. Link to post Share on other sites
Zach6668 513 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 When was the last time they even had Sports Jeopardy? Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 When was the last time they even had Sports Jeopardy? It's a new version hosted by Dan Patrick. It's on Crackle for now Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Twitch is pretty awesome..Watching Daniel play $400-$800 8 game.. Link to post Share on other sites
FCP Bob 1,312 Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 so Dubey, how do you like living in the People's Republic of Alberta now 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Dubey 1,035 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 I'll tell you in a couple years. I didn't vote so I can't really complain, but I have this feeling we've made a huge mistake. Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Like it matters. They're all self-serving crooks. Link to post Share on other sites
FCP Bob 1,312 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I'll tell you in a couple years. I didn't vote so I can't really complain, but I have this feeling we've made a huge mistake. Link to post Share on other sites
Dubey 1,035 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Well if I'm going to get taxed up the *******, I may as well just move to Vancouver island where I can golf 12 months per year Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 If anyone is in the Pickering area tomorrow... Big Garage Sale and COntent Sale at my house..Everything must go...Lots of FREE stuff if you mention you are from FCP.. Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 If anyone is in the Pickering area tomorrow... Big Garage Sale and COntent Sale at my house..Everything must go...Lots of FREE stuff if you mention you are from FCP.. I just tweeted the info. Sales should be through the roof...or you'll have a 1000 people mentioning FCP. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 The last week or so, I have watched very little TV, as I have discovered Twitch.. While the streaming site was initially geared towards video games, and most content is still gaming, poker is growing everyday. Its the perfect tool for studying and improving your game...The info is invaluable if you are looking to grow your game and improve your skills. Favourite twitchers right now: Jason Somerville(Jcarver) ..he is the rockstar of poker on twitch..Biggest following . Dan Obrien Jamie Stapes Elky.... He is hilarious to watch, sometimes he streams Hearthstone too...Its something to see. Daniel Negreanu...You may have heard of him...His streams of 8 game, are really an amazing learning tool... I have been working on my game PLO game, which has really improved recently. I may join the Twitch revolution and start streaming some low limit PLO O8 Link to post Share on other sites
iBeaver 409 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Yeah I watched a few of DAniels streams. It's very interesting. Could do with less tLk about his healthy tea but fun to hear his thoughts on how he plays every hand. But I also have been using and watching Twitch for a long time. Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Yeah I watched a few of DAniels streams. It's very interesting. Could do with less tLk about his healthy tea but fun to hear his thoughts on how he plays every hand. But I also have been using and watching Twitch for a long time. I figured you would as you are a gamer..Its a great platform.. I am really shocked to see how many subscribers some of these gamers have....I think the income stream and business model is a lot better than youtube.. Link to post Share on other sites
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