A prescription for tort reform

www.enterpriseeconomy.com ^ | 9-18-02 | j.d. tuccille

[john bell hood]

This summer, virtually all of the orthopedic surgeons at Southern Nevada's only trauma center walked off the job to protest soaring malpractice insurance costs. The center reopened ten days later after doctors were added to the county's payroll, shielding them from high awards. Horrified legislators promised, and partially delivered, a tort reform law that limited jury awards to sub-stratospheric levels, offering an opening for insurance companies to lower their rates.

While Nevada's crisis is highly dramatic, it's hardly an isolated case. President Bush recently denounced frivolous lawsuits and high jury awards, and called for tort reform -- an indication of the nationwide nature of the problem.

Excerpt. Rest of article.

[john bell hood]

This could be a big issue for the GOP. They could stand up to the trial lawyers and help bring down soaring medical costs.

[End The Hypocrisy]

Actually, several Republicans broke ranks with the House leadership regarding the AMA's attempt to cap medical malpractice liability on the Hill recently. I wonder if you'll not consider those maverick Republicans heroes after reading the following statistics:

http://www.atla.org/medmal/

[Lee_Atwater]

bring down soaring medical costs

An added bonus, perhaps: Trial lawyer money is a financial pillar of the Democrat Party. Cut the lawyer profit margin, and the Dems lose, hopefully.

[Voltage]

Doctors, who are immediatelly effected by trial lawyers and the resulting high insurance costs, are in the best position to do something abou this...by withdrawing their services in the areas that create the high settlements. They should quite delivering babies, withdraw from the emergency room, etc.

I say let lawyers deliver babies and staff the emergency rooms.

[wcbtinman]

Gee, I thought that someone was finally offering a bounty on lawyers.