Two Spanish men chop off their hands in insurance scams

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

We know times are hard but who on earth would chop off one of their hands in a scam to make money?  Two Spanish men, evidently. 

Be sure to read all the way through to the end where a man in Austria is mentioned, who chopped off his foot so he could stay on benefits.  We've spent a lot of time hashing out the concept of those who deserve and don't deserve to be on benefits.  Wonder what those who support dishing out the benefits think of Herr Url?  I know what I think.... 

[Janet]

I was reading that. One can see it two ways, it seems to me ... either desperation or cynicism. I just can't imagine self-mutilation as a form of cynicism, though. And I think anyone who'd chop a limb or appendage off for money, whether benefits or insurance money, is either desperate to the point of having lost their mind, or just nuts anyway.

Within these individuals' cases, it's clearly fraud, and the question of how to "punish" it is a legal one, for the judges, but at root I would argue their cases represent a social problem on several levels (personal overvaluation of money, incentives to idleness or fraud, lack of social responsibility by individuals, etc.,) beyond any individuals.

[Michael]

We know times are hard but who on earth would chop off one of their hands in a scam to make money?  Two Spanish men, evidently. 

Be sure to read all the way through to the end where a man in Austria is mentioned, who chopped off his foot so he could stay on benefits.  We've spent a lot of time hashing out the concept of those who deserve and don't deserve to be on benefits.  Wonder what those who support dishing out the benefits think of Herr Url? I know what I think....

Get ATOS to assess him. 

[Perikles]

This news item is probably taken from El País, because I read the article there a couple of days ago. (Can't find it now) It does seem to be taken from a genuine report  by insurance fraud investigators.

It reminds me of a war-time anecdote which my father insisted was true (but he probably read it in a 1939 edition of the DM) of a guy who was so scared of being called up he had an arm amputated. At his call-up medical, he was excused active service because he had flat feet.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Someone's uncle ended up with a broken foot when about to be called up to serve in Viet Nam.  Maybe he should have tried something more drastic as they got him in the end.  Fortunately he came back.