| Spending money on legal fees is a part of our | | | | The frightening thing is that no end is in sight. |
| society, especially in the healthcare industry. There | | | | Because jury awards are increasing, the need for |
| is a time and place for the legal system in | | | | robust malpractice insurance and legal coverage |
| healthcare, but more and more we unfortunately | | | | also increases. When you consider the cost of a |
| see instances where legal fees are unnecessary | | | | doctor or nurse battling malpractice claims, you |
| or high, resulting in a significant impact on doctors | | | | are looking at significant monies. Even maintaining |
| and nurses and the services provided to patients. | | | | legal counsel and malpractice insurance coverage is |
| Some of the rising cost of healthcare is directly | | | | enough to put some medical professionals out of |
| related to an existing crisis in our country. One of | | | | business or at least push them to a less risky field |
| the most significant aspects of consumers' | | | | of medicine. |
| relationship with the healthcare industry is that | | | | While it's tempting to throw the blame on |
| when things go wrong, one of the first things that | | | | attorneys' charges, the underlying issue is that we |
| happens is someone hires an attorney for a | | | | need better healthcare solutions. In addition, we |
| malpractice suit. | | | | need laws that better protect medical |
| Because of high costs for healthcare insurance | | | | professionals from frivolous lawsuits filed by |
| coverage, we now have 41 million people in the | | | | money-hungry without a valid claim. |
| United States going "bare." What this means is | | | | Now, we have seen a proposal by the President |
| that in addition to the individual not getting proper | | | | with renewed attention on capping awards specific |
| care, doctors and nurses are now faced with a | | | | to pain and suffering in malpractice lawsuits. True, |
| major challenge specific to out of control | | | | this does shed some light on an all-important |
| malpractice coverage. In other words, uninsured | | | | matter but we still have a very, long way to go. |
| patients, doctors have to find a way of protecting | | | | The solution to high legal costs in healthcare is not |
| themselves in case of error or mishap. | | | | a cut and dry case. We need to boost our |
| More than $10 billion is spent annually in the U.S. | | | | nationwide health coverage, toughen our laws, and |
| for malpractice and legal costs arising from | | | | ensure doctors and nurses are properly trained. |
| absence of or inadequate healthcare coverage.In | | | | Most importantly, the hospitals and clinics that |
| addition to out of control malpractice premiums | | | | staff medical professionals need to put strict |
| due to the current tort system, we also see a | | | | guidelines in place to reduce risk for malpractice |
| 50% increase in median jury awards and a 40% | | | | and the ever-increasing legal dollar. |
| increase for median out-of-court settlements. | | | | |