Recent Connecticut News

On the Rise: What Is Driving the Cost of Medical Malpractice Insurance?

When the latest medical malpractice premium notice arrives at a physician’s office, it is not often for a small amount. Even practices that have avoided expensive lawsuits or claims are not shielded from rising premiums. Often, it seems that rising medical malpractice...

December 2017 Newsletter

Year-end report sheds light on “Judicial Hellholes” The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) end-of-year “Judicial Hellholes” report offers a public glimpse at the most unfriendly jurisdictions for those defending themselves against civil litigation, including...

High Court’s Contempt for Lawmakers’ Authority, Lawsuit Rackets Place Florida atop Latest ‘Judicial Hellholes’ List

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 5, 2017 – The American Tort Reform Foundation issued its 2017-2018 Judicial Hellholes® report today, naming courts in Florida, California, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois and Louisiana among the nation’s “most unfair”...

Current Medical Liability Laws

Damage Caps	None
Joint Liability Reform	Yes. Defendants are responsible only for their proportionate share of negligence. However, if within one year after the final judgment the court determines that all or part of a defendant’s proportionate share is uncollectible, it shall reallocate the uncollectible non-economic damages among other defendants according to their percentages of negligence. The court may not reallocate to any such defendant an amount greater than that defendant’s percentage of negligence multiplied by such uncollectible amount.
Collateral Source Reform	Yes, benefits from collateral sources must be disclosed and used to reduce recoverable economic damages, minus any amount paid by the claimant to secure the benefit.
Attorney Fees Limited	Yes, limited to 33 1/3% of the first $300,000; 25% of the next $300,000, 20% of the next $300,000, 15% of the next $300,000, and 10% of amounts exceeding $1.2 million.
Periodic Payments Permitted	For damages exceeding $200,000, the court shall give the parties 60 days to negotiate an agreement on method of payment, either in lump sum, periodic payments, or a combination thereof. If they cannot agree, the judge must order payment in a lump sum.