Daily Herald: "Batavia woman makes appeal to Bush"

[Tweed]

"Vickie Lambert pauses when asked the simplest questions about her condition. She asks her husband for reassurance.

The problem, the Batavia woman said, is that she gets confused easily. She gets fatigued easily. And beyond that, she can no longer walk without the aid of specialized crutches.

Her condition came courtesy of a rare blood disorder that ate away at her system for months, while the doctors she trusted to take care of her pointed her in the wrong direction.

The one saving grace of the maladies that will be with her the rest of her life, she said, is that a hefty lawsuit settlement will help her cope."

What follows is a story about how Madison County, IL has been named a "judicial hellhole" by the American Tort Reform Association. The tort reform debate apparently centers on Madison County because they give out the highest awards in medical lawsuits. It's a good read on how local news is affecting national legislation.

[metisnation]

1. Tweed

McHenry here...when do we take the tobacco company to court again? Let them try to contest it here and then get tossed out on their asses. lol IL Blue through and through!


:dem:

BEAN OBAMA!

[Tweed]

2. Even in the rural counties

you have some blue! Hey at least all but seven counties out of 108 voted for Obama. I think that is a serious tribute to the intelligence of Illinois voters and sadly a serious sign that Kentucky has made enclaves into southeastern Illinois.

[Bjornsdotter]

4. I'm in McHenry also...

....and it's very lonely (red) where I am.

Cheers,
Kim

[metisnation]

6. Naw it alright

there are more Dems than you think your not alone believe me.

:>)

[seventythree]

3. Have you heard what the trial lawyers did

in Florida? If I am remembering correctly, they passed a law which rips the license of any doc with three malpractice judgments -- which will mean docs will settle rather than fight because they will fear a judgment -- it's a frivolous lawsuit Mecca.

[dogman]

5. Those aren't the facts.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-bush05.html
snip> President Bush used Downstate Madison County today to relaunch his campaign against "lawsuit abuse" he says drives doctors from this Mississippi River area and other communities around the country.
snip> MADISON COUNTY CASES

Of the 364 lawsuits filed against Madison County doctors and hospitals in the last eight years, only eight resulted in verdicts against them.

# Medical malpractice cases filed since 1996: 364
# Cases dismissed or settled out of court: 196
# Cases that went to trial: 21
# Cases won by doctors/hospitals: 13
# Cases won by patients: 8
# Average jury award: $380,000
# Largest award: $1.7 million

Sources: Verdict Reporter of St. Louis; Madison County Circuit Clerk

[seventythree]

7. thanks for the link

but I think you may have misunderstood my post. What the trial lawyers got through in Florida has nothing to do with the size of the judgment -- it has to do with A judgment, any judgment, as opposed to a negotiated settlement which will not count toward the 3 strikes and you are out. It is the trial lawyers slap back at the docs setting tort limits. Docs will not risk a judgment -- any judgment -- when it impacts their license, so the negotiating power is on the plaintiff's trial attorney's side (never let us forget that trial lawyers are also defense lawyers). Docs will not take frivolous cases to court, but will settle them, so this maneuver will increase frivolous suits. I believe we need reform, but not by caps, and yes, I have had a proposal for years which mirrored Edwards'. My entire point was that when docs and insurance companies want to play hardball (republican backers), trial lawyers(democrat backers)can play just as hard, and actually with greater stealth -- but this kind of gamesmanship leaves us all bleeding. The common sense of Edwards is what was and still is needed, but it isn't going to happen in the war of blood lust.
California instituted caps and saw no decrease in malpractice premiums until it undertook insurance reform -- this is the most basic level of tort reform -- justification for increases must be proved like the ICC must pass on the justification for utility cost increases before they can be charged.

[dogman]

8. You are correct.

I thought you were referring to Madison County with the lawsuit Mecca reference since that was the MSM reference of the day due to the Bush propaganda. The other problem that I see is the ownership of the malpractice insurance business by doctors who then use the doctor coat to lobby and publicize when their true goal is higher return on their insurance company investment. The victims are also forced into out of court settlements because they are possibly facing personal bankruptcy because of their physical condition and inability to earn a living. This is obviously a problem, but the simplistic solution advocated by the GOP is typical propaganda whose only real purpose is not correcting a problem but making political capital.

[seventythree]

9. you are absolutely correct

and I am glad you know about the doctor owned insurance companies -- quite the expose a few months ago about the one in Illinois and Geo. Ryan's pal getting those millions from it.