Republican Chiropractor Tries to Kill Florida Tort Reform

Tallahassee Democrat ^ | July 12, 2003 | Diane Hirth

[eartotheground]

Senate Majority Whip Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, said, "The political pressures being put on this body are most unfortunate" and suggested the one-time count of 14 senators for Bush's malpractice positions was eroding.

Dockery voted against the Senate's bill Friday because she favors a lower cap on "pain and suffering" damages in medical malpractice lawsuits than the Senate's $1.5 million limit, which grows to $6 million in instances of catastrophic injury. Yet she thanked King for "never applying pressure to me."

"If anyone is wasting the taxpayers' money, it's because we're being called back," said Dockery, referring to Bush's call for a series of special sessions despite lack of an agreement on the solution to soaring malpractice premiums.

Added Dockery, "I've had members of the House come over and say, 'Hang tough.' There are members of the Senate and House that have diverse feelings."

Bush, in Tampa on Friday, acknowledged he has been "critical of the Senate. I hope people don't take it personally....It's important for people to act on principle." Alia Faraj, Bush's spokeswoman, said Levine's e-mail was inappropriate. Levine apologized to Lee but was unavailable Friday for comment.

Lee classified Levine's e-mail as "sideshows that have been divisive to our party" and suggested negotiations between the two chambers and the governor would be further along if it had not occurred.

"The pressures the governor thought would accelerate this process have had the precise opposite impacts," Lee said.

"What concerns me is we've had some bloodletting going on because of this miscalculation," Lee told the caucus. "I don't want to think you have blood on your hands....I think it's very important we respond to the threats and intimidation and digression of the debate...with nothing but statesmanship."

Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne, said he had been inclined to vote against the bill but voted "yes" on Friday because he sensed the Senate and House negotiations had been moving forward.

Bennett advised King to take the necessary time to do the right reforms to help doctors. "Let's not sell it out short, because we're getting some outside pressure."

Jones called the e-mail assault "pretty petty," adding, "I was somewhat surprised the governor had so much free time." He said he had no intent of backing away from a $500,000 cap on damages against doctors that expands for catastrophic injuries.

"I've seen too many patients in 35 years who've had really egregious outcomes," said Jones, a chiropractor currently on the board of Largo Medical Center. "To me, it's not a business transaction. It's about people's rights." King also heard from senators pushing him to come to a close quickly on the issue, as the governor wants.

"I feel your pain," he responded. But King noted the House's vote on Thursday to raise its cap on "pain and suffering" to $1 million was the first major concession to the Senate, which had conceded reluctantly to accept caps in the first place. He reassured his colleagues that negotiations were ongoing regarding caps and other key issues.

King predicted the whole issue has a chance of being resolved soon - not by the special session's Wednesday scheduled finale but perhaps by Friday if the session were to be extended.

However, the Senate Judiciary Committee is planning to meet at 1 p.m. Monday to hear sworn testimony from various parties in the malpractice mix - doctors, lawyers, insurers and state agencies - in a last attempt to do fact-finding.

"I don't want this to be the Spanish Inquisition," King said of the hearing. Yet he said questions remain in his mind about issues such as attorneys' real costs in preparing medical malpractice cases; how insurers handle financial reserves; how doctors and hospitals discipline those who commit malpractice; and how decisions are made to separate noneconomic and economic damages in awards to victims.

"We're not in a race to get to the checkered flag," King said. "If it takes longer, it takes longer."

[eartotheground]

OK, so I guess this "doctor" makes a living as an "expert" witness for the plaintiffs.....

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[jagrmeister]

The pressure is not severe ENOUGH against Republican state senators in Florida. We don't donate money to their campaigns, canvass for them, and vote for them on election day so they can skirt their responsibilities in office. Health care costs are spiraling out of the reach of middle class families- and it's because of ridiculously large judgments being won by unprincipled trial lawyers. These crybaby Republicans need to hear from grassroots conservatives, find their backbone, and support Jeb Bush's efforts to rein in the trial lawyers.