Malpractice

Medical-Malpractice Battle Gets Personal

There are 73,084 working lawyers in Texas. Selina Leewright never thought that being married to one would cost her her job. But that's why Leewright, a nurse, was fired last summer by Good Shepherd Medical Center in the East Texas city of Longview. In dismissing her, hospital officials praised her nursing skills as "fantastic." But they told her that because her husband, Marty, worked at a law firm that does medical-malpractice litigation, the hospital could not continue to employ her. "I was dumbfounded," Leewright says. "They just assumed that my husband does medical malpractice, which he doesn't at all."

Closing Arguments Made in Malpractice Suit

Attorneys representing clients in a medical malpractice jury trial at the San Benito County Superior Court gave closing arguments Thursday. Hollister resident Dorothy Castillo, 68, is suing Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and Dr. Robert Wlodarczyk, a cardiologist, for alleged negligence during a 2001 heart procedure that caused her to become a quadriplegic, according to her attorney, Victor Stefan.

Damage Caps Re-Emerge In Malpractice Bill

Twenty-five state representatives signed a "discharge resolution" Tuesday in an effort to force a vote on a Senate bill capping noneconomic damages for medical malpractice lawsuits. State Rep. Ellen Bard, R-153, termed the action a "historic event," noting, "it has not been done successfully since the 1960s or '70s. I don't believe it's ever been done by the majority party."

Challenge To Lawsuit Limits Rejected

LITTLE ROCK — The state Supreme Court on Thursday threw out a lawsuit challenging Arkansas' new law limiting damages in civil cases, saying it lacked jurisdiction to hear the original action. Without further comment, the high court granted a motion to dismiss the challenge to the constitutionality of Act 649 of 2003.

Taft signs 2 bills to put lid
on medical malpractice costs

COLUMBUS - Those suing doctors and hospitals for malpractice would have to immediately back up their claims with a medical expert under a bill signed into law yesterday by Gov. Bob Taft. A companion bill also signed yesterday would force malpractice insurance companies to provide advance notice of their intentions to raise premiums, cancel policies, or stop writing policies in certain specialties or geographic areas of the state.

Gov Says Budget May Hinge on Malpractice Reform

Reaching a deal on a state budget may hinge on "meaningful" medical malpractice reforms that doctors long have been seeking, Gov. Blagojevich said Thursday. The governor also hinted strongly during an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board that he will overhaul the Illinois Gaming Board, which is under fire for its March decision to route the state's only available casino license to Rosemont, even though the board's staff recommended the license go elsewhere. There is one vacancy on the five-member panel, and the terms of chairman Elzie Higginbottom and member Violet Clark expire June 30.

Effort Under Way To Get Caps Out of Committee

Twenty-five state representatives signed a "discharge resolution" Tuesday in an effort to force a vote on a Senate bill capping noneconomic damages for medical malpractice lawsuits.

Bill Would Prohibit Doctor Selectivity

HARRISBURG -- Responding to scattered reports of physicians nationwide using unsavory tactics to fight for state aid and lawsuit liability caps, House Democratic leadership is pitching a law that would prohibit Pennsylvania doctors from refusing to treat a patient based on the patient's job, political opinions or litigation history.

New Tort Law Gets Mixed Reviews

JACKSON - Gov. Haley Barbour on Wednesday signed the tort reform bill he pushed through the Legislature, saying it will end "lawsuit abuse," help change Mississippi's reputation as a lawsuit mecca and help the state attract more industry. The new law provides businesses more protection from lawsuits and places caps - some of the lowest in the region - on pain-and-suffering and punitive damages when businesses are found to have harmed consumers. Barbour signed the bill in front of dozens of lawmakers, lobbyists and business leaders at the Capitol on Wednesday.