Help Save HealthCare . . . Stop Lawsuit Abuse!

Frivolous litigation and unfounded class action lawsuits have had a profound effect on the way that healthcare is delivered in America. The average consumer now bears the brunt for America's new "lawsuit industry" in the form of increased prices and decreased access to healthcare products and services.

Personal injury lawyers seeking the next jury "jackpot" are jeopardizing our healthcare system by targeting individual practices and physicians. Instead of improving healthcare, lawsuit abuse is literally making us sick.

• Lawsuit Abuse Limits Access To Affordable Healthcare
  Nearly 41 million Americans are uninsured and over the course of a year, another 30 million will lack coverage for some extended period of time. As more frivolous lawsuits are filed and personal injury lawyers manipulate the class action system to force large settlements, the cost of health coverage will continue to rise. Businesses are forced to cut and reduce coverage for employees and individuals choose not to purchase plans, ultimately putting the health of America's families at risk. According to a recent report by the Department of Health and Human Services, limiting unreasonable jury awards could cut healthcare costs by 5-9%, saving $70-126 billion each year. Saving this money would lower the cost of healthcare coverage and permit an additional 2.4 - 4.3 million Americans to obtain medical insurance.
  

• Personal Injury Lawyers Abuse Our Courts
  Some judges have become self-appointed medical experts by "discovering" new illnesses created by personal injury lawyers, rather than allowing scientists and medical professionals to identify these diseases in the laboratory. Judges need to follow the best available science - not make new science from the bench.

• Personal Injury Lawyer Scare Tactics Put Health At Risk
  When personal injury lawyers advertise - "Are you taking this specific medication?" - in order to solicit clients, they can cause a panic among patients taking appropriate and beneficial medications prescribed by a physician. In their attempts to line their pockets, greedy personal injury lawyers may be putting our health at risk.

• Meritless Lawsuits Drive Up Healthcare Costs
  It's a "trickle-down" effect. The primary outcome of frivolous lawsuits and unfounded class action claims is higher healthcare costs. The costs of litigation - including defending against unsuccessful claims and frivolous lawsuits - are often passed on to consumers in the form of higher health insurance premiums and costs for care.

• Is There A Cure?
  Yes, there is a cure for this epidemic of lawsuit abuse and it is a fair civil justice system - one that doesn't put jackpot payoffs for personal injury lawyers on the backs of America's patients. Reform of our civil justice system that takes away the "payoff" incentives and focuses on serving justice will help all Americans and allow our healthcare system to concentrate on saving lives.