| You may have seen articles and news stories | | | | Washington State's Medical Malpractice "Crisis") |
| claiming that "runaway jury awards" and "greedy | | | | include: |
| trial lawyers" are causing medical malpractice | | | | * The number of medical malpractice payments |
| premiums to skyrocket, thereby driving doctors | | | | made on behalf of Washington doctors declined |
| out of Washington State. Doctors around the | | | | 35.6 percent between 1999 and 2004. |
| state are "demanding" that our two Senators and | | | | * There was a 42.2 percent drop in the total |
| state legislators enact "caps" on jury verdicts to | | | | value of Washington doctors' medical malpractice |
| prevent malpractice relates from rising. THESE | | | | payments between 1997 and 2004, when |
| CLAIMS ARE FALSE. | | | | adjusted for medical inflation. The |
| A number of studies reveal the truth---that caps | | | | inflation-adjusted peak in 1997 was $50.7 million, |
| on damages DO NOT reduce insurance premiums. | | | | compared with $29.3 million in 2004. The drop |
| Caps on damages only restrict the rights of | | | | between 2002 and 2004 was 30.6 percent. |
| patients who have been seriously injured at the | | | | The number of million-dollar payments has declined |
| hands of a negligent physician. Most insurers | | | | from a high of 10 in 1997 to two in 2004; jury |
| continue to increase malpractice premiums at a | | | | verdicts have remained flat at about 3.2 percent |
| rapid pase, regardless of damage caps on medical | | | | of all payments since 1991. |
| malpractice lawsuits. | | | | * Rather than providing windfalls to patients with |
| Over the past year and a half, Texas, Florida, | | | | minor injuries, Washington doctors' malpractice |
| Oklahoma, Ohio, Mississippi and Nevada have tried | | | | payments overwhelmingly benefit those most |
| to solve their state's insurance problems by | | | | seriously injured by doctors. The most serious |
| limiting injured consumers' right to sue in court | | | | cases account for 84.9 percent of all payments |
| (so-called "tort reform"). It has failed every time. | | | | made, compared to only 15.1 percent of all |
| The reason is: the causes and solutions to | | | | payments for minor injuries. |
| insurance problems lie with the insurance industry, | | | | * The population-adjusted number of malpractice |
| not the legal system. | | | | filings is down 23.1 percent since 1995, dropping |
| The number and value of medical malpractice | | | | from 9.41 per 100,000 people in 1995 to 7.24 in |
| payments made to patients on behalf of | | | | 2004. |
| Washington doctors have declined significantly, | | | | Malpractice payouts attributable to obstetrics |
| according to an analysis of federal government | | | | cases ' doctors say OBs are among the hardest |
| information released today by the national | | | | hit by lawsuits ' are down significantly. The |
| consumer group Public Citizen. | | | | number of payments attributable to OB cases fell |
| Key findings in the Public Citizen report (Fewer | | | | 25.4 percent between 1994 and 2004, while the |
| Lawsuits and More Doctors: The Myths of | | | | value plummeted by 65.9 percent. |