NY man demands estranged wife pay him for kidney

[aimeeandbeatles]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090107/ap_on_fe_st/odd_kidney_dispute

Spoiler :

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – A New York doctor is demanding that his estranged wife pay him $1.5 million to compensate him for the kidney he gave her while they were still on good terms. Dr. Richard Batista spoke Wednesday to reporters at his lawyer's office in Garden City, Long Island.

He said he gave his kidney to Dawnell Batista in June 2001. She filed for divorce in July 2005.

The 49-year-old Batista works for Nassau University Medical Center. The couple have three children, ages, 8, 11 and 14.

A message left for his wife's attorney, Douglas Rothkopf, was not immediately returned.

 

[El_Machinae]

Unfortunately, the price of a human organ is zero.
That said, alimony should be much easier to argue about, since he has health complications due to her.

 

[Masquerouge]

Can't he just take one from one of his kids?

 

[negZero]

Unfortunately, the price of a human organ is zero.

Someone hasn't been to Mexico then

 

[LucyDuke]

Aren't you not allowed to sell live human organs in America?

 

[El_Machinae]

Sorry, I meant the legal cost is zero.
In a just world, he should be able to take the kidney back. However, the donation system can only really (practically) function if donations are irreversible.

 

[QuoVadisNation]

Not only that, but even if could sue for the associated trauma at his expense for her enrichment, it's general policy in the states that an act between spouses like this doesn't imply payment or even an understanding of payment. This was a gift or an act of love, he probably didn't expect payment at the time he transferred ownership nor would any sane non-OT person believe that an ordinary person in her situation ought to have understood that she would one day have to compensate him. This might just be a spite suit. Though I'm sure there can be exceptions which allow it, maybe.

 

[Yeekim]

What a jerk.

 

[Newbunkle]

Damn kidneydigger!!

 

[LucyDuke]

Marriage for love, marriage for money, and now marriage for organs.

 

[Dachs]

and now marriage for organs.

This has been around for a very long time.

 

[Sharwood]

How have I not noticed this thread before? This guy's an idiot, not just for demanding payment seven years after the fact, but for giving someone his damn kidney in the first place.

 

[Sharwood]

This has been around for a very long time.

Well-played sir.

 

[Masquerouge]

This has been around for a very long time.

Dunno, organs are what, 14th century? Plus there are only so many JS Bach.

Har har.

 

[nonconformist]

Aren't you not allowed to sell live human organs in America?

Argh....must...avenge..murder...of....english...language...

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Just last night they showed that one episode of House where a woman gives half her liver to her lesbian lover because she knew the girlfriend was about to leave her and wanted to manipulate her into staying. Maybe this couple should have tried something like that.

(Anyways, no basis whatsoever.)

 

[Adrogans]

Just last night they showed that one episode of House where a woman gives half her liver to her lesbian lover because she knew the girlfriend was about to leave her and wanted to manipulate her into staying. Maybe this couple should have tried something like that.

(Anyways, no basis whatsoever.)

I thought thats what he did and it extended the relationship for another 4 years.

 

[Sharwood]

Just last night they showed that one episode of House where a woman gives half her liver to her lesbian lover because she knew the girlfriend was about to leave her and wanted to manipulate her into staying. Maybe this couple should have tried something like that.

(Anyways, no basis whatsoever.)

How do you give someone half your liver? Isn't the whole thing required?

 

[Phlegmak]

NY man demands estranged wife pay him for kidney

The solution is obvious. He should eat her.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

How do you give someone half your liver? Isn't the whole thing required?

I think you can function with as little as 1/8 of it.