Recent News
Ohio court ruling may expose doctors to unending lawsuits
The Ohio State Medical Assn. and others are asking the Supreme Court of Ohio to review a lower court's ruling they say exposes physicians to an endless risk of negligence claims. An appellate court decision in Ruther v. Kaiser found that the state's statute of repose...
TN gov signs bill placing caps on lawsuit payouts
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A measure to cap payouts for medical malpractice and other civil cases is good for business in Tennessee, said Gov. Bill Haslam, who signed the bill Thursday. The law places a $750,000 cap on non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, and the...
Surgical liability cases drop nearly 80% at Texas medical center
Texas trauma surgeon Basil Pruitt Jr., MD, was confident the state's tort reform measures had reduced lawsuits at the medical center where he practices. But he and fellow physicians were shocked when they learned by how much. A study published in the April issue of...
New Directions in Medical Liability Reform
Medical liability reform has maintained a tenacious hold on the national policy agenda. During the first several years of the 21st century, a malpractice insurance “crisis” prompted vociferous demands by organized medicine and liability insurers for tort reforms to...
Oklahoma enacts cap on noneconomic damages
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has signed into law a series of tort reform measures, including a $350,000 cap on noneconomic damages in civil liability cases. The Oklahoma State Medical Assn. said the cap is a victory in its fight for comprehensive medical liability...
Legislature wants to clamp down on lawsuits, entice doctors in bid to rein in Medicaid
TALLAHASSEE — Republican lawmakers struggling to contain Florida's $20 billion-and-growing Medicaid program are taking an unconventional approach: They're going after trial lawyers and the rights of injured patients to sue. Although lawsuits, insurance premiums and...
Tort Reform Bill Would Reduce Deficit by $40 Billion
A House bill that caps noneconomic damages in malpractice cases at $250,000 and enacts other reforms to curb frivolous lawsuits against clinicians would reduce the federal deficit by $40 billion from 2011 to 2021, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)....
Lobby Battle Over Loans for Lawsuits
WASHINGTON — Companies that advance money to plaintiffs involved in personal injury lawsuits are campaigning in state capitals for legislation making clear that their growing industry is not subject to usury limits on interest rates or other state laws that protect...
Medical liability reform: The time for action is now
A message to all physicians from Ardis Dee Hoven, MD, chair of the AMA Board of Trustees. In the past few weeks, a lot of people in Washington have been talking about medical liability issues. This is a good thing, and I hope it means we are about to see significant...
House endorses bill giving sweeping protection to medical providers against malpractice lawsuit
HELENA — A bill creating sweeping protections for physicians and other medical providers against malpractice lawsuits won endorsement Tuesday from the Montana House. On a mostly party-line vote with Republicans in favor, the House voted 65-35 for House Bill 405, which...