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CHRONICLING AMERICA'S HEALTH LITIGATION EMERGENCY
brought to you by Sick Of Lawsuits
STAT!
 Volume X February 9, 2004 

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"We're doing the right thing by telling people the truth, and that is the healthcare system looks like a giant lottery. That's what it looks like these days because of these lawsuits. And somehow, the trial lawyers always hold the winning ticket. Lawyers walk away with up to 40 percent — 40 percent — of every settlement and verdict, which adds up to billions of costs, billions of unnecessary costs." — President George W. Bush "Bush Calls for Medical Liability Reform" Talon News, January 27, 2004


Lawsuit Abuse News

more lawsuit abuse news in Sick Of Lawsuits

Lawyers 1, Consumers 0

"Pennies for the victims, millions for lawyers. How did the consumer rights crusade veer so far off course? Class suits were supposed to give a voice to victims too helpless and dispersed to get justice on their own. They have morphed into a system for enriching insiders — to wit, lawyers and insurance companies." Forbes, February 16, 2004

Opinion-Editorial: Cut Down On Judge-Shopping: Federal Courts Should Try Class-Action Suits That Involve Multiple States

"Judge-shopping gives lawyers a better chance of collecting exorbitant fees by bleeding corporations for huge awards or settlements.

But their clients often end up with little or nothing. A system vulnerable to such exploitation is overdue for reform. Under a proposal up for consideration in the U.S. Senate, large cases involving classes and defendants in multiple states would be tried in federal courts." Orlando Sentinel, February 1, 2004

Mississippi Governor Stresses Need For Tort Reform In State-of-State Speech

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour emphasized the need to enact meaningful medical liability reform in Mississippi during his state-of-state speech. "Lawsuit abuse continues to threaten the quality of and access to health care in our state. Businesses will not locate in a place if they fear their employees and families cannot get quality health care. We must do more to end medical lawsuit abuse." Associated Press, January 27, 2004

Sick Of Lawsuits
In Action


Sick of Lawsuits?

Are you a victim of frivolous lawsuits? Has a frivolous lawsuit affected your access to healthcare or driven your doctor out of town? Are personal injury lawyer ads scaring you away from taking medications or seeing a doctor?

If so, we want to hear from you. Visit www.sickoflawsuits.org and share your story with us.

Legislative Update

Kentucky
In early January, the Kentucky state legislature began considering legislation to change the constitution to allow for medical liability reform. If SB 1 passes the legislature, it will be placed on the November ballot for approval by voters.

Ohio
Ohio will be considering SB 80, a comprehensive civil justice reform bill that passed the Senate during 2003 and awaits action in the House. (Civil Justice Reform Outlook January 2004, American Tort Reform Association)

Our Broken Healthcare Liability System


The Stats


  • nine: number of states that enacted medical liability reform legislation 2003 American Tort Reform Association Press Release, December 10, 2003

  • 51%: %: percentage of medical students who believe that the medical liability crisis is limiting patients' access to care AMA Survey: Medical Students' Opinions of the Current Medical Liability Environment: American Medical Association Division of Market Research and Analysis, November 2003

  • $3,236: amount the average family of four pays in annual "tort taxes" American Tort Reform Association Press Release, January 20, 2004, derived from U.S. Tort Costs: 2003 Update; Trends and Findings on the Costs of the U.S. Tort System, Tillinghast - Towers Perrin, December 2003

For press inquiries, please contact Rossanna Salazar at: 1-800-476-1442

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