Recent News
Malpractice premiums flat in 2015, but changes could be ahead
Physicians paid about the same in liability insurance premiums in 2015 as in 2014, and analysts don’t see costs changing anytime soon. A nationwide survey of insurers by the Medical Liability Monitor shows that 71% of insurance premiums did not change this year, while...
Nevada justices uphold medical malpractice damages cap
The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday upheld major provisions of the state's medical malpractice law, overturning a judge who found that a $350,000 cap on non-economic damages was unconstitutional. The unanimous decision, written by Chief Justice James Hardesty, said...
Guest Column: Lawsuit-happy environment is hurting Florida’s economy
The sunny climate may be one of Florida’s most enduring assets, but unfair laws and courts are storm clouds on Florida’s horizon. This is a reasonable conclusion from the findings of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform’s newly released 2015 Lawsuit Climate...
A Flawed Medical Malpractice System
New York’s medical malpractice system needs comprehensive reforms. The writers note that many states allow patients to file suit based on when they discover that there was a medical error, but, unlike New York, most of those states also have caps on damages and other...
12-Years Post-Liability Reform, Texas Hits Another Record in New Physicians
As it has for four of the past seven years, the Texas Medical Board licensed a record number of new physicians for the fiscal year that ended last month, surging past the 4,000 mark for the first time in history. The board licensed a record 4,295 new Texas doctors...
Male doctors are more likely to be sued than females, study finds
Male doctors are more than twice as likely to have legal action taken against them than their female counterparts, a recent study found. The study, published last week in the journal BMC Medicine, affirms a well-established trend for the first time on a global level....
Wisconsin last among states for malpractice claim payments, analysis shows
Wisconsin doctors paid fewer medical malpractice claims per capita last year than their peers in any other state — and physicians here are consistently at the bottom nationwide when it comes to paying such claims, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analysis of...
Letter: Medical lawsuit reform must include a better liability cap
Regarding the June 23 Another Voice, “Medical malpractice needs more thoughtful reform,” legislators need to act carefully in addressing laws affecting medical malpractice lawsuits. Legislative reforms must bring legitimate redress where it is needed; however, care...
Another legal hit for medical malpractice caps in Florida
The case started with a dental assistant who went into surgery for carpal-tunnel syndrome and ended up suffering a perforated esophagus. Now, nearly eight years later, the case could be another blow to a controversial 2003 law that limited the amounts of money injured...
Medical liability damages cap upheld
The nation’s leading medical liability reform law has been upheld yet again in a California court of appeal, with the court finding that the state’s cap on noneconomic damages is constitutional. It’s another victory to ensure physicians can afford to stay in practice...