Recent News
KY lawmakers try tort reform again with new bill backed by business groups
Business groups are making another push for “tort reform” in Kentucky, asking the General Assembly to place new restrictions on the right to sue and collect damages in court. But this time, the groups say, language in Senate Bill 195 is tailored narrowly enough to...
Why medical malpractice awards are on the rise
After going more than a decade without medical liability insurance premiums being a hot topic among physicians, the subject is popping up in conversation once again. Premiums have been rising in some states for a few years now and an AMA report released in...
Justices Reject Affidavit Rule in Federal Malpractice Case (2)
Medical malpractice plaintiffs filing suits in federal court don’t have to comply with a state affidavit of merit law, the US Supreme Court said Tuesday. The state law requiring plaintiffs to file an expert witness’s written statement that the claims are reasonable...
Doctor Shortage Intensifies Push To Cap Punitive Damages In Malpractice Cases
When the former train conductor and railway safety representative retired in 2022, he and his wife moved away from Fargo, N.D., where they had lived for 50 years. They built what Jilek called their “dream house” in Rio Rancho, swapping snow shoveling for sunshine. “We...
January 2026 Newsletter
New Mexico liability policy pushes patients, doctors out of state As New Mexico lawmakers debate changes to laws concerning punitive damages in medical liability cases, the consequences of the state’s current legal climate are already showing up in patients’ daily...
Las Cruces doctors push for legislation to stem New Mexico doctor shortage
Patrick Lohmann Four Las Cruces doctors donned their white coats and headed to Santa Fe on Monday to urge lawmakers to pursue major medical malpractice and tax reform legislation at the upcoming legislative session. Without immediate legislative action, the doctors...
December 2025 Newsletter
Jackpot justice and the high price of health care A new national report warns that high profile jackpot justice continues to have real consequences for patients, providers, and the cost of care. The 2025-2026 Judicial Hellholes report, released by the American Tort...
November 2025 Newsletter
Study confirms reasonable liability limits protect patients, providers A new peer-reviewed study in Health Economics adds to the growing body of evidence that dismantling reasonable limits on non-economic damages can destabilize medical liability systems and drive up...
Medical malpractice reforms appear to curb unnecessary imaging in ED
Marty Stempniak Tort reforms appear to curb unnecessary use of imaging in the emergency department, according to new Neiman Health Policy Institute research published Wednesday. Practicing “defensive medicine” to avoid any threat of being sued is a common explanation...
DeSantis vetoed a medical malpractice bill. The Florida House is pushing it again
Romy Ellenbogen The House is fast-tracking a medical malpractice bill ahead of the 2026 legislative session that’s identical to one Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed earlier this year. On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would allow more people in...