# How much would you accept to be Dr. Dao? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440 "2017-04-14T12:46:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/1 "2017-04-14T12:46:39Z")
I’m pretty confident the reaccommodated Dr. Dao is going to see some sizeable settlement/award as the result of his being dragged off the plane. It appears as tho he described a concussion and a couple of lost teeth. And I’m sure he experienced some fear/discomfort/inconvenience/embarrassment. So how much would it be worth to you to incur similar injuries? I guess as a related matter - if there are punitive damages, how much do you think United/the cops (city of Chicago?) ought to be penalized? I’ll start the bidding by saying anyone is welcome to slam my face into an armrest and drag me off a plane for $200k (after lawyers fees.) I’ll bet he gets considerably more than that. With a company as large as UA (as with the McDonalds coffee case) it is easy to peg damages to any miniscule aspect of their operations, yet yield a huge dollar value. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/2 "2017-04-14T12:49:01Z")
He’ll probably get a bunch more than $200K, since he’ll likely be awarded significant punitive damages as well as compensatory damages. Punitive damages (if I understand the concept correctly) are meant to serve as a deterrent to other entities (i.e. corporations) from acting the same way – and damages to a company as large as United would have to be very large to serve as an effective deterrent. As for how much I’d take, it depends on cognitive damage, I suppose – no money would be enough if it degraded the way my brain functioned. If it were entirely superficial, then I’d probably take $100K. Maybe $50K. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/3 "2017-04-14T12:59:19Z")
If no brain damage, then $20,000. If brain damage - no. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/4 "2017-04-14T13:09:02Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I’m pretty confident the reaccommodated Dr. Dao is going to see some sizeable settlement/award as the result of his being dragged off the plane. It appears as tho he described a concussion and a couple of lost teeth. You forgot the broken nose and damage to his sinus. He’s scheduled for surgery to fix some of the damage. But hey, go ahead and minimize his injuries. > [@](#): > > And I’m sure he experienced some fear/discomfort/inconvenience/embarrassment. Why isn’t pain on that list? Or don’t you think getting teeth knocked out and your nose broken is painful? That’s not “discomfort”, that’s pain. > [@](#): > > So how much would it be worth to you to incur similar injuries? There is no money that would make it “worth” it to me. I do my best to avoid pain and fear. I have sufficient money for my modest needs. I hope to god I’m never desperate enough that being subjected to broken bones and teeth and the terror of three people beating me up and dragging me away looks acceptable, even in return for monetary gain. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/5 "2017-04-14T13:21:25Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > You forgot the broken nose and damage to his sinus. He’s scheduled for surgery to fix some of the damage. But hey, go ahead and minimize his injuries. Sorry, whether you believe me or not, I had no intention of minimizing his injuries. Was simply going from memory. Had the vague sensation there were other injuries, but simply failed to check. Broken nose and unspecified damage to sinuses doesn’t change my $ figure. And if we want to talk about accurately representing things, perhaps we should address the contention that being inexcusably manhandled by police in the US was more traumatic than fleeing wartorn Viet Nam! :eek: Of course, I’m sure his experiences in Viet Nam caused latent scars which allowed him to be a successful doctor, yet surfaced to magnify his reaction to this incident… (In case you hadn’t guessed, I’m not overly sympathetic to such claims.) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/6 "2017-04-14T14:12:34Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > There is no money that would make it “worth” it to me. I do my best to avoid pain and fear. I have sufficient money for my modest needs. Interesting. I am financially comfortable with a secure job. While I don’t seek out pain, I know I have a pretty high pain threshold. But I’d certainly experience Dr. Dao’s injuries for $500 million dollars (likely considerably less) in exchange for assurances that I, my wife, my children and my grandchildren, would never experience financial concerns/needs/wants. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/7 "2017-04-14T15:22:13Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > And if we want to talk about accurately representing things, perhaps we should address the contention that being inexcusably manhandled by police in the US was more traumatic than fleeing wartorn Viet Nam! :eek: Of course, I’m sure his experiences in Viet Nam caused latent scars which allowed him to be a successful doctor, yet surfaced to magnify his reaction to this incident… (In case you hadn’t guessed, I’m not overly sympathetic to such claims.) We don’t know what his trip from Viet Nam to the US was like, do we? There are varying degrees of trauma and fear, you know. And whether you believe in it or not, PTSD is a real thing and yes, the effects can surface decades later when the person is subjected to another triggering event. The fact he was a successful doctor is irrelevant - people overcome all sorts of difficulties to achieve things all the time. That doesn’t retroactively erase those difficulties. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/8 "2017-04-14T15:23:30Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Interesting. I am financially comfortable with a secure job. While I don’t seek out pain, I know I have a pretty high pain threshold. > > But I’d certainly experience Dr. Dao’s injuries for $500 million dollars (likely considerably less) in exchange for assurances that I, my wife, my children and my grandchildren, would never experience financial concerns/needs/wants. Tell me - have you ever first hand experienced a beating severe enough to break bones at the hands of multiple attackers? I have. There’s no amount of money that would make me willingly go through that again. I find poverty less frightening than that sort of abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/9 "2017-04-14T15:29:24Z")
No certainty yet but his concussion may prove to have caused permanent neurological deficits. His broken nose may never look right again. His broken teeth can never be replaced, except by dentures or implants, which AIUI aren’t nearly as good (in terms of function or convenience) as the real thing. Pain is transient, and I’d be willing to be tolerate some pain if there’s enough money dangled in front of me - but not for permanent disfigurement and dysfunction. I wonder how many people in similar situations received enough compensate for them to think, “hey, I’m glad all of this happened. This has all worked out great for me.” ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/10 "2017-04-14T16:02:44Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I’ll start the bidding by saying anyone is welcome to slam my face into an armrest and drag me off a plane for $200k (after lawyers fees.) I’ll bet he gets considerably more than that. With a company as large as UA (as with the McDonalds coffee case) it is easy to peg damages to any miniscule aspect of their operations, yet yield a huge dollar value. Nice victim blaming. :rolleyes: Points for mentioning the McDonalds coffee case, without discussing how badly that corporation treated the woman, refusing the pay even the barely minimal amount of medical care, all the while serving coffee which was dangerously hot and which they had had multiple complaints about – simply for corporate profits. It’s not that hard for companies to treat their customers right. Punitive damages are not thrown around lightly. It’s when companies really mistreat people egregiously that those they harm are awarded such amounts. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/11 "2017-04-14T16:15:04Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > Nice victim blaming. :rolleyes: > > Points for mentioning the McDonalds coffee case, … without discussing how badly that corporation treated the woman, refusing the pay even the barely minimal amount of medical care, all the while serving coffee which was dangerously hot and which they had had multiple complaints about – simply for corporate profits. Shit happens, people sue. Different people differ in their reactions to similar events. There are advantages to suing entities w/ deep pockets. Points back atcha for taking my McD’s reference out of context. I’m extremely familiar with various aspects of the McD’s case. (I’m no expert, and was doing nothing other than expressing my opinion, but I have discussed and considered such things repeatedly and at length in my career as a judge who happens to be married to a lawyer who teaches business law.) I was in no way attempting to excuse McD’s or UA’s actions or to object to punitives - as is clear to anyone reading my post fairly. Instead, I think it is pretty clear that I was merely observing that even damages reflecting a day’s sales of coffee can add up to a pretty high number. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/12 "2017-04-14T16:27:39Z")
I’m with Broomstick on this one. No amount of monetary damages would incline me to go through this. AFAIK, it seems to me that the Chicago cops did not have to be so brutal if what they wanted to do was remove him. That they decided to engage in some retaliation to atone for the trouble they went to. It wouldn’t surprise me if Chicago ended up paying some indemnity too. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/13 "2017-04-14T16:44:24Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I’m with Broomstick on this one. No amount of monetary damages would incline me to go through this. Third. I don’t even like my face that much but I don’t want to have to have reconstructive surgery on it. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/14 "2017-04-14T17:01:20Z")
I’m not sure what it would take for me to volunteer for a similar position, but I think that Dr. Dao should get a nice round figure of 10 million out of it. (Ideally taken directly from the paychecks of the United execs.) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/15 "2017-04-14T17:24:23Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > (Ideally taken directly from the paychecks of the United execs.) Unfortunately, that’ snot how it works. You KNOW whose pockets it is ultimately going to come out of! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/16 "2017-04-14T17:59:32Z")
Like others, I’d say ‘no price’ to the possibility of permanent mental impairment. Also I guess most respondents here are much younger than Dao, I’m somewhat younger. But it’s harder to get over either physical or mental setbacks as you get older. Also though I don’t know the real story of his professional life (has it even been settled he’s the same guy whose license was suspended?). If you’re all set in life materially why go through any trauma for money? I was hit by a car a few years ago as a pedestrian, absolutely the driver’s fault. I was banged up but not seriously hurt, so I didn’t get a lawyer and got nothing, even ended up paying part of the medical bills out of pocket. Probably stupid of me. If I’d gotten a lawyer and a few $10k’s out of it, plausible, I think I actually would have ended up saying ‘that worked out well for me’. But broken bones let alone possible brain injury, no way. Not unless in some situation where I needed money a lot more than I do. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/17 "2017-04-14T18:50:07Z")
No. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, and I still see this as a stupid idea. Aside from the pain, disfigurement, and posible permanent impairment, the public scrutiny his personal life has been subjected to gives me nightmares. No way. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/18 "2017-04-14T19:27:03Z")
I think I’d have more trouble dealing with the invasion of privacy (being the star of a viral video does not appeal) than the actual beating, but I’ve never been abused, so maybe I’m wrong. Still, I’m gonna say $200K sounds about right. I’d take that money, change my hair, and go spend some time somewhere remote. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/19 "2017-04-14T19:30:49Z")
I remember a while back, talking to folk about how much they would accept to step in with Mike Tyson, as various tomato cans were getting millions for considerably less than 3 minutes’ work. I always thought folk underestimated the impact of his punches. Personally, I’d prefer having my face bounced off an armrest, to standing toe-to-toe w/ Tyson in his prime. Of course, I’m the dumbass who used to do NHB. I remember the ER docs stapling up my head saying, “You mean you LET someone do this to you?” 😃 And yeah, I do tend to be dubious of individuals and their attorneys’ descriptions of the severity of injuries as they posture before and during legal action. May have just known too many lawyers and too many plaintiffs. Or, I may just be an unreasonable asshole. Or maybe it is residual brain damage on my part. Or maybe all of the above and more. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-would-you-accept-to-be-dr-dao/784440/20 "2017-04-15T03:20:35Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > I think I’d have more trouble dealing with the invasion of privacy (being the star of a viral video does not appeal) than the actual beating, but I’ve never been abused, so maybe I’m wrong. Still, I’m gonna say $200K sounds about right. I’d take that money, change my hair, and go spend some time somewhere remote. You must be missing a couple of zeroes. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk