Kevin,
     as do attorney's have listed obligations so do abstractors, income, expenses, training, liabilities, insurance, employees, E and O insurance, obligations to the client.  Both a single independent abstractor and a law firm operate as a business, just like AT&T, IBM, Xerox,...all businesses.  All have risks, all have problems, all can fail due to mistakes.  I believe you are pretty much saying money is the value of everything.  I disagree.  It is not just tied to money the value also stems from what you put into it.  Yes you said three years is a long time, but so is building anything worthwhile.
     Saying an abstractor can just move to another area is very easy to say, but not do.  Cost $$$ to money to a new area, national and regional clients still know who you are.
     As far as the $ amounts I used for the law school portion were supplied by you, and as far as the gravity of the situation, yes it does register with me.  I am out of the rehab business, how is that for gravity, failed due to someone's mistake.
     Value is in the eye of the beholder.
     I guess we will have to agree to disagree.
     Jay