I'm really not disagreeing with you at all on a personal level! I think it is a tragedy that this came to pass and that the guy got so dispondant about his situation he felt the only was out was suicide.

I was just making the point that rainer_d's post was probably quite accurate as far as REGA were concerned, as I said, companies don't have feelings, humans do.

For the record, I really only wanted to be "advocatus diaboli" in this case.
Money is just printed paper in the end.

In this article on 20min.ch:
http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/news/sto...ssen--31731457

(Self-proclaimed) PR experts agree that the reaction of REGA is crucial to how it is perceived in the public eye.
They just don't agree on what exactly the right reaction is ;-)

On a total technical side (Regardless of the tradegy of loss), I'm a bit intrigued by the fact that the investigation has now been closed.

I don't have much of a legal background, but just because the lead suspect has passed (before his hearing), it is proper to assume that he was 100% guilty of the wrong doings and the case is now closed?

Edit, Found this quote:

".....But spokeswoman Corinne Bouvard told AFP that he had been suspected of acting alone. In a statement the prosecution authority stressed that the man should be presumed innocent unless proven guilty."

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"You have reached the end of you free trial membership at BenjaminFranklinQuotes.com" -Benjamin Franklin

It would be a waste of money to not close the case, if they believe he was guilty there is nothing they can do

Breaking news

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29130742

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/schumach...-home/40529940

Sad reality about sponsors infests the extinguished former star. Unfortunately it's a cruel world where everything and everyone has a price

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ble-speak.html

I disagree. If any of us had an accident like this, would we expect our employer to pay our salaries indefinitely? If Michael can no longer deliver the goods, then his sponsors are not obliged to continue paying him.

Yes. It was inevitable and I am surprised that some sponsorship didn't end earlier. I think it is likely that clauses were written in to cover injury or other events. It not as if they are abandoning him to poverty

Some positive news
http://metro.co.uk/2015/05/23/f1-leg...-kehm-5211732/

£100,000-a-week? £5,200,000-a-year?

Doesn't seem possible.

100k UKP = 146k CHF.
600k per month.

Assuming they've got him covered 24h per day that would make three shifts of whatever. 200k per shift per month.
That would still be a lot of people running around, even at top-pay.
Personally, I don't believe his wife has hired that many people. Lot's of people = lots of talk. So far, we've basically heard nothing.
Either the NDAs are that good or the circle surrounding him is rather close-knit.
That said, as he's most likely still almost paralyzed, we will have to be moved every couple of hours (every two, if I'm correct) - that is really hard work.

There were probably a lot of one-time costs to outfit the mansion with the necessary medical gear.

This isn't news. It was reported last September that the costs of a 15 strong medical team plus rental of medical equipment was costing that sum.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-000-week.html

Why do you think Corinne's been selling off the holiday homes and the aircraft? Not only will Michael never need them again, but she may eventually need the money. It's been reported his care has already cost £10 million in the 14 months since his accident.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...acher-Progress

At that rate even his estimated wealth of $800 mil may not last his remaining lifetime given that he's only 46.

Still, at least he is making some progress - which is more than can be said for poor Jules Bianchi.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/32839992

Sorry, but if they can't survive for the rest of their lives on 800 million, severe head injury notwithstanding, then there is something very wrong with them.

A 15 strong medical team on retainer is excessive even for one very rich person, and as soon as he becomes able to move around that will likely reduce greatly.

Anything from Sabine Kehm regarding the situation of Micheal Schumacher I treat with a very small pinch of salt. She does after all bark to Corinna Schumacher's wishes, who quite rightly wants to maintain privacy around this situation. I can't blame her at all for that.

It's been 17 months since the accident, and quite frankly if all they can say there's been progress, then it's not the kind of progress that will see him back on the world stage.

Truthfully I doubt we'll ever see or hear anything from him again. I'd love to be proved wrong, but after this amount of time it strikes me that his injuries are such that they'll prevent him from ever interacting with the outside world again.

I really wish it was otherwise.

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...allegedly.

I agree Slaphead, I'm afraid that it's unlikely we'll be seeing anything of him in public in the future. From the Expess article:

"Yet it is known that he remains mute with "limited awareness" of his environment and is also still unable to walk."

There is only so much that the medical profession can do if the brain itself cannot repair or make new paths to restore function.

How much of that $800 mil came from endorsements/sponsorships which are no longer active is anyone's guess.

Indeed, the family must be severely financially challenged
After all, with that kind of cost their fortune will have run out after a lousy 60 years. Assuming zero income earned on it, which nobody does these days.

I wonder to what extent he is able to communicate with his family about his own 'wishes' about his future? If it was me (and I know I am much older- so that does change things)- as time goes by and hope is lost- I'd probably choose to 'exit' this life sooner rather than later (and I do realise some will not agree with me, nor understand). I sincerely hope he is able to make the choice for himself.

Does anyone have a link to the effect he is able to communicate with his family and carers- and make choices for himself? (later edit)- does anyone know what he can or can't do, at this stage? Apparently he can't use his limbs, can't sit up, can't speak, and cries when he recognises the voice of members of his family- this is not the sort of 'life' I'd wish for over the long term, unless progress is significant.

You really do write some crap, there is no indication that he is anywhere near that stage.

That stage of what? Dying? No. Maybe wanting to die, yes. We don't know, I'm not sure even the family know, it might not have been something they talked about. Though given his profession I would certainly hope that they had, just in case he had a serious racing accident.

I'm with Odlie, if anything like that happened to me and it didn't seem as if a reasonable amount of progress was being made I rather be let go.

Yes, but you don't have hundreds of millions and access to the best medical care a person can have, do you?

Speculation on if he wants to commit suicide or not, when he has only recently come out of a coma and his progression is as yet uncertain, is just plain ridiculous. He is a formula 1 champion who retired as a champion and then came back as a champion, and he will undoubtedly want to fight to live until no other option remains.