Texas ED physicians lobby for comprehensive liability reform bill.
The Houston Chronicle (5/27, Tung) reported, “Dozens of Texas” ED physicians “swarmed Capitol Hill this week to tell lawmakers that the Lone Star State has just the prescription for what ails a health-care industry burdened by runaway costs: limiting big-bucks lawsuits against physicians.” The Texas physicians “were part of a group of more than 500 emergency physicians who were in Washington to lobby for a comprehensive liability reform bill.” US Texas Rep. Kevin Brady said Texas tort reform has resulted in the addition of over 21,000 and opened care access to rural families. American Association for Justice President Gibson Vance said, “This extreme bill is no solution to the real problems facing America’s health care system today, most importantly the 98,000 people that die every year from the preventable medical errors.” Vance added it “would impose an unfair cap on damages that injured patients can seek.
“Texas loser-pays legislation signed into law.
The AP (5/30, Ingram) reported on Monday, Gov. Rick Perry signed to law Texas’ “loser pays” reform, under which “some plaintiffs who sue and lose will be required to pay the court costs and attorney fees of those they are suing.” Texas “trial lawyers agreed to support the Senate version of the bill after the provision that allows judges to immediately dismiss frivolous lawsuits was added.” Perry said the law was conducive to job growth, adding that it “provides defendants and judges with a variety of tools to expedite justice for those deserving.” The law takes effect September 1.
Alabama lawsuit legislation reduces statute of limitations, restricts “expert” testimony. The AP (5/28, Johnson) reported, “The Alabama House gave final approval Thursday to three bills aimed at curtailing what some consider lawsuit abuse.” The bills limit where wrongful death lawsuits can be filed, reduce a plaintiff’s collectable interest while a verdict is being appealed, and reduce the statue of limitations for filing a suit against an architect. The House is expected to debate a third bill on Tuesday, which “would put restrictions on who could testify as an expert witness in lawsuits and limit what critics called ‘junk science’ theories of how the crime occurred.” Alabama Association for Justice President Courtney French said the bills’ “current versions are fair to both sides and do not take away a person’s right to go to court.”
From “Leading the News” in the “ AAJ News Brief for John Badal” for May 31 , 2011. The law firm of Liever, Hyman & Potter is committed to protecting the injureds’ rights to fair compensation for injury and death caused by the wrongful behavior of others. There is a concerted effort by powerful and wealthy opponents to curtail such rights. At Liever, Hyman & Potter we will continue to fight for our clients when they are hurt in auto, motorcycle and truck accidents and are the victims of medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, work injuries and defective products. We have been serving the Berks County, Pa and Schuylkill County, Pa areas for more than 50 years.