However, what should the punishment be? The child's life has been saved, regardless of the parents ability to pay. Should the parents be forced into bankruptcy? What kind of impact would that have on the child's life?
from the article they're here in texas (apparently houston is the babby, not the location). bankruptcy in texas is a minor annoyance. i understand that in other states you may have to give up nearly all your property in a 7. in texas you get to keep a shit-ton of stuff. they probably should file bankruptcy. of course, all that really means is that someone other than the parents will be absorbing the cost.
I think they should have to pay something, and quite a bit, but I don't think it should financially ruin them. Then again, bankruptcy does only last 7 years.
that may be how long it takes to come off the report, but every credit app on the planet asks 'have you ever filed for bankruptcy?'
partial list of texas exemptions:
1) 10 contiguous urban acres or 200 non-contiguous rural acres (so that the well heads can stay in out of bankruptcy)
2)the property is provided for a family and has an aggregate fair market value of not more than $60,000 of: home furnishings, including family heirlooms; farming or ranching vehicles and implements; wearing apparel; jewelry not to exceed 25 percent of the aggregate limitations prescribed by Section 42.001(a); two firearms [this is Texas after all]; athletic and sporting equipment, including bicycles; motor vehicle for each member of a family or single adult who holds a driver's license; two horses, mules, or donkeys, 12 head of cattle, 60 head of other types of livestock, and 120 fowl [this is Texas after all]; and household pets
3) a person's right to the assets held in or to receive payments, whether vested or not, under any stock bonus, pension, profit-sharing, or similar plan, including a retirement plan for self-employed individuals (and a bunch of other descriptions, and more retirement plans including IRAs in another section)