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