Monday, November 9, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
New Paper Debunks Malpractice Myths
Contact: Ray De Lorenzi
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
Washington, DC—As enemies of health care reform spread lies and untruths about medical negligence, a new white paper tackles the issue head-on, debunking the most common myths with sound science and research while refuting the hyperbole and empty rhetoric.
Five Myths About Medical Negligence, one in a series of reports from the American Association for Justice on this issue, examines the errors and faults behind the most commonly used talking points of health care reform opponents.
• Myth #1: There are too many “frivolous” malpractice lawsuits.
Fact: There’s an epidemic of medical negligence, not lawsuits. Only one in eight people injured by medical negligence ever file suit. Civil filings have declined eight percent over the last decade, and are less than one percent of the whole civil docket. A 2006 Harvard study found that 97 percent of claims were meritorious, stating, “portraits of a malpractice system that is stricken with frivolous litigation are overblown.”
• Myth #2: Malpractice claims drive up health care costs.
Fact: According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the total spent defending claims and compensating victims of medical negligence was just 0.3% of health care costs, and the Congressional Budget Office and Government Accountability Office have made similar findings.
• Myth #3: Doctors are fleeing.
Fact: Then where are they going? According to the American Medical Association’s own data, the number of practicing physicians in the United States has been growing steadily for decades. Not only are there more doctors, but the number of doctors is increasing faster than population growth. Despite the cries of physicians fleeing multiple states, the number of physicians increased in every state, and only four states saw growth slower than population growth; these four states all have medical malpractice caps.
• Myth #4: Malpractice claims drive up doctors’ premiums.
Fact: Empirical research has found that there is little correlation between malpractice payouts and malpractice premiums paid by doctors. A study of the leading medical malpractice insurance companies’ financial statements by former Missouri Insurance Commissioner Jay Angoff found that these insurers artificially raised doctors’ premiums and misled the public about the nature of medical negligence claims. A previous AAJ report on malpractice insurers found they had earnings higher than 99% of Fortune 500 companies.
• Myth #5: Tort reform will lower insurance rates.
Fact: Tort reforms are passed under the guise that they will lower physicians’ liability premiums. This does not happen. While insurers do pay out less money when damages awards are capped, they do not pass the savings along to doctors by lowering premiums. Even the most ardent tort reformers have been caught stating that tort reform will have no effect on insurance rates.
“All the facts and evidence show that tort law changes will do practically nothing to lower costs or cover the uninsured,” said AAJ President Anthony Tarricone. “It’s no wonder the tort reformers, insurance lobby, and other corporate front groups have to gin up lies and phony stats, since no legitimate data or research supports their claims. Our focus should be on reducing the 98,000 deaths by medical error that occurs every year, not limiting patients’ legal rights.”
As part of its ongoing series on the topic, AAJ earlier released Medical Negligence: A Primer for the Nation’s Health Care Debate, The Truth About “Defensive Medicine,” and The Insurance Hoax: How Doctors and Patients Pay for the Huge Earnings of Medical Malpractice Insurers. These can be located at www.justice.org/medicalnegligence. Five Myths About Medical Negligence can be found directly at: www.justice.org/clips/Five Myths About Medical Negligence.pdf.
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
New Paper Debunks Malpractice Myths
Washington, DC—As enemies of health care reform spread lies and untruths about medical negligence, a new white paper tackles the issue head-on, debunking the most common myths with sound science and research while refuting the hyperbole and empty rhetoric.
Five Myths About Medical Negligence, one in a series of reports from the American Association for Justice on this issue, examines the errors and faults behind the most commonly used talking points of health care reform opponents.
• Myth #1: There are too many “frivolous” malpractice lawsuits.
Fact: There’s an epidemic of medical negligence, not lawsuits. Only one in eight people injured by medical negligence ever file suit. Civil filings have declined eight percent over the last decade, and are less than one percent of the whole civil docket. A 2006 Harvard study found that 97 percent of claims were meritorious, stating, “portraits of a malpractice system that is stricken with frivolous litigation are overblown.”
• Myth #2: Malpractice claims drive up health care costs.
Fact: According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the total spent defending claims and compensating victims of medical negligence was just 0.3% of health care costs, and the Congressional Budget Office and Government Accountability Office have made similar findings.
• Myth #3: Doctors are fleeing.
Fact: Then where are they going? According to the American Medical Association’s own data, the number of practicing physicians in the United States has been growing steadily for decades. Not only are there more doctors, but the number of doctors is increasing faster than population growth. Despite the cries of physicians fleeing multiple states, the number of physicians increased in every state, and only four states saw growth slower than population growth; these four states all have medical malpractice caps.
• Myth #4: Malpractice claims drive up doctors’ premiums.
Fact: Empirical research has found that there is little correlation between malpractice payouts and malpractice premiums paid by doctors. A study of the leading medical malpractice insurance companies’ financial statements by former Missouri Insurance Commissioner Jay Angoff found that these insurers artificially raised doctors’ premiums and misled the public about the nature of medical negligence claims. A previous AAJ report on malpractice insurers found they had earnings higher than 99% of Fortune 500 companies.
• Myth #5: Tort reform will lower insurance rates.
Fact: Tort reforms are passed under the guise that they will lower physicians’ liability premiums. This does not happen. While insurers do pay out less money when damages awards are capped, they do not pass the savings along to doctors by lowering premiums. Even the most ardent tort reformers have been caught stating that tort reform will have no effect on insurance rates.
“All the facts and evidence show that tort law changes will do practically nothing to lower costs or cover the uninsured,” said AAJ President Anthony Tarricone. “It’s no wonder the tort reformers, insurance lobby, and other corporate front groups have to gin up lies and phony stats, since no legitimate data or research supports their claims. Our focus should be on reducing the 98,000 deaths by medical error that occurs every year, not limiting patients’ legal rights.”
As part of its ongoing series on the topic, AAJ earlier released Medical Negligence: A Primer for the Nation’s Health Care Debate, The Truth About “Defensive Medicine,” and The Insurance Hoax: How Doctors and Patients Pay for the Huge Earnings of Medical Malpractice Insurers. These can be located at www.justice.org/medicalnegligence. Five Myths About Medical Negligence can be found directly at: www.justice.org/clips/Five Myths About Medical Negligence.pdf.
###
As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tort Law Changes Won't Reduce Malpractice Premiums
For Immediate Release: October 29, 2009
Contact: Ray De Lorenzi, American Association for Justice
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
Washington, DC—Tort law changes have failed to reduce malpractice insurance costs, and states with caps on damages often have higher premiums than states without caps, according to an analysis of just-released liability data.
While insurance companies have claimed tort law changes would lower physicians’ premiums, this has not been the case. There is either no difference in rates between cap and non-cap states, or cap states actually have higher premiums – underscoring how a state’s liability laws play no role in lowering insurance or overall health care costs. Doctors’ premiums rise and fall based on the insurance cycle, totally unrelated to the legal system.
The new data shows:
• Average liability premiums across internists, general surgeons and OB/Gyns are nearly identical for states with or without caps.
• Average liability premiums for OB/Gyns are nearly identical for states with or without caps.
• Average liability premiums for general surgeons are 9.3% higher in states with caps.
• Average liability premiums for internal medicine are 9.9% higher in states with caps.
“Malpractice insurers promised tort law changes would lower premiums, yet it has not happened,” said American Association for Justice President Anthony Tarricone. “While these companies make record profits off the backs of doctors, patients injured through no fault of their own are often unable to seek recourse. This information comes at an important time in the health care debate – providing clear evidence that tort law changes won’t decrease costs.”
The above statistics were derived from data released this month in Medical Liability Monitor. More information and charts on this data can be found at www.justice.org/clips/premiums2009.pdf.
As part of its ongoing series on the topic, AAJ earlier released Medical Negligence: A Primer for the Nation’s Health Care Debate, The Truth About “Defensive Medicine,” and The Insurance Hoax: How Doctors and Patients Pay for the Huge Earnings of Medical Malpractice Insurers, all of which can be located at www.justice.org/medicalnegligence.
Contact: Ray De Lorenzi, American Association for Justice
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
New Data Shows Tort Law Changes Won’t Reduce Malpractice Premiums
Insurance companies lobby to limit patients’ legal rights,
yet never pass savings onto physicians or consumers
yet never pass savings onto physicians or consumers
Washington, DC—Tort law changes have failed to reduce malpractice insurance costs, and states with caps on damages often have higher premiums than states without caps, according to an analysis of just-released liability data.
While insurance companies have claimed tort law changes would lower physicians’ premiums, this has not been the case. There is either no difference in rates between cap and non-cap states, or cap states actually have higher premiums – underscoring how a state’s liability laws play no role in lowering insurance or overall health care costs. Doctors’ premiums rise and fall based on the insurance cycle, totally unrelated to the legal system.
The new data shows:
• Average liability premiums across internists, general surgeons and OB/Gyns are nearly identical for states with or without caps.
• Average liability premiums for OB/Gyns are nearly identical for states with or without caps.
• Average liability premiums for general surgeons are 9.3% higher in states with caps.
• Average liability premiums for internal medicine are 9.9% higher in states with caps.
“Malpractice insurers promised tort law changes would lower premiums, yet it has not happened,” said American Association for Justice President Anthony Tarricone. “While these companies make record profits off the backs of doctors, patients injured through no fault of their own are often unable to seek recourse. This information comes at an important time in the health care debate – providing clear evidence that tort law changes won’t decrease costs.”
The above statistics were derived from data released this month in Medical Liability Monitor. More information and charts on this data can be found at www.justice.org/clips/premiums2009.pdf.
As part of its ongoing series on the topic, AAJ earlier released Medical Negligence: A Primer for the Nation’s Health Care Debate, The Truth About “Defensive Medicine,” and The Insurance Hoax: How Doctors and Patients Pay for the Huge Earnings of Medical Malpractice Insurers, all of which can be located at www.justice.org/medicalnegligence.
###
As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
True Stories of Corporations that Knew their Products were Dangerous-- Even Deadly
The American Association for Justice released an incredible report yesterday--- They all Knew and Failed to.... The report details how lawsuits keep us safe.
Listed in the report are numerous examples of companies that knowingly and willfully released products that harmed or even killed consumers. It describes the case of a company that discovers rat droppings are contaminating its food products but insists that the products be recooked, boxed up, and sold anyway. Then there is the example of a company that discovers its bulletproof vests are defective but still sells them to law enforcement agencies and the military-- putting those that protect us at grave risk.
Listed in the report are numerous examples of companies that knowingly and willfully released products that harmed or even killed consumers. It describes the case of a company that discovers rat droppings are contaminating its food products but insists that the products be recooked, boxed up, and sold anyway. Then there is the example of a company that discovers its bulletproof vests are defective but still sells them to law enforcement agencies and the military-- putting those that protect us at grave risk.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Toys to Toxic Waste
For Immediate Release: October 28, 2009
Contact: Jennifer Fuson
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
Toys to Toxic Waste: New Report Details Corporations that Skirt Responsibility and Shun Consumer Safety to Save Money
Washington, DC—As the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform holds their annual summit – an event dedicated to championing corporate misconduct and evading accountability – a new report released today details true stories of corporations that knew their products were dangerous, yet failed to act and protect consumers.
“They Knew and Failed To” details numerous examples of medical devices, prescription drugs, and other consumer products that remained on the market after critical safety concerns had been raised within the company, while using all means necessary to avoid being held accountable for their misconduct.
In one example, police officer Tony Zeppetella of Oceanside, Calif. had paid $313 to “upgrade” his standard bullet proof vest. The Ultima body armor Zeppetella had purchased was widely used by law enforcement, military personnel, and even worn by the President and Mrs. Bush. Unfortunately, Zeppetella was shot and killed on a routine traffic stop in June 2003, when a bullet penetrated his vest.
Second Chance, the manufacturer, had known as early as 1998 that heat and sunlight caused the material to degrade, making the vests penetrable. Internal corporate memos from 2001 revealed an executive at the company had recommended notifying customers about the products’ defect, saying, “Lives and our credibility are at stake.” It was not until September 2003 that the company eventually recalled 130,000 vests, three months after Zeppetella was shot. The company had known for five years there were problems with their vests, but failed to notify consumers, putting law enforcement and service members’ lives at risk. Several years later, Second Chance recalled another 98,000 vests.
“While most businesses act in good faith to serve their customers and communities, unfortunately some corporations recklessly put lives at risk for the sake of profit,” said American Association for Justice President Anthony Tarricone. “While front groups like the Chamber stage events practically celebrating corporate misconduct, this new report convincingly illustrates the importance of holding wrongdoers accountable.”
The full report, “They Knew and Failed To,” is available at: www.justice.org/clips/TheyKnewAndFailedTo.pdf.
Contact: Jennifer Fuson
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
Toys to Toxic Waste: New Report Details Corporations that Skirt Responsibility and Shun Consumer Safety to Save Money
Washington, DC—As the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform holds their annual summit – an event dedicated to championing corporate misconduct and evading accountability – a new report released today details true stories of corporations that knew their products were dangerous, yet failed to act and protect consumers.
“They Knew and Failed To” details numerous examples of medical devices, prescription drugs, and other consumer products that remained on the market after critical safety concerns had been raised within the company, while using all means necessary to avoid being held accountable for their misconduct.
In one example, police officer Tony Zeppetella of Oceanside, Calif. had paid $313 to “upgrade” his standard bullet proof vest. The Ultima body armor Zeppetella had purchased was widely used by law enforcement, military personnel, and even worn by the President and Mrs. Bush. Unfortunately, Zeppetella was shot and killed on a routine traffic stop in June 2003, when a bullet penetrated his vest.
Second Chance, the manufacturer, had known as early as 1998 that heat and sunlight caused the material to degrade, making the vests penetrable. Internal corporate memos from 2001 revealed an executive at the company had recommended notifying customers about the products’ defect, saying, “Lives and our credibility are at stake.” It was not until September 2003 that the company eventually recalled 130,000 vests, three months after Zeppetella was shot. The company had known for five years there were problems with their vests, but failed to notify consumers, putting law enforcement and service members’ lives at risk. Several years later, Second Chance recalled another 98,000 vests.
“While most businesses act in good faith to serve their customers and communities, unfortunately some corporations recklessly put lives at risk for the sake of profit,” said American Association for Justice President Anthony Tarricone. “While front groups like the Chamber stage events practically celebrating corporate misconduct, this new report convincingly illustrates the importance of holding wrongdoers accountable.”
The full report, “They Knew and Failed To,” is available at: www.justice.org/clips/TheyKnewAndFailedTo.pdf.
###
As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Mom amputee after medical malpractice
From CNN:
Six years ago, shortly after arriving at the ER at Memorial Hospital West in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Pembroke Pines, Strong says she told a nurse she thought she was having a problem with a kidney stone. She had had difficulties with stones.
But miscommunication between doctors and different diagnoses eventually led to her being discharged without having the kidney stone treated. That led to a rare tissue inflammation called "the line of demarcation," seen as a darkening of the skin in the extremities that slowly creeps upward.
"My fingers were turning black and curling. They looked charred," she said. "My toes were turning blue and black. It wouldn't stop. I had no idea what was happening to me," she recalled.
Strong said she was told she had no choice but to have her arms and legs amputated to save her life.
Friday, October 23, 2009
AAJ Women's Caucus Reception
AAJ announces their Women's Caucus Networking Reception on Thursday, October 29th in Washington DC.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Hot Coffee the movie
Join us tomorrow night at the LandMark Theaters in Midtown for a screening of the documentary Hot Coffee. Contact Rebecca DeHart for more information.
From the website www.hotcoffeethemovie.com:
What’s the most famous legal case in American history?
Marbury v. Madison, Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade? Ask anyone in the U.S. or abroad and they will likely tell you about a woman who spilled coffee on herself and collected millions of dollars. The McDonald’s coffee case became the poster child for frivolous lawsuits in America. Jerry Seinfeld did an entire episode where Kramer sued Java World after spilling a café latté on himself while trying to get a seat in a movie theater. Jay Leno, David Letterman and other comedians have made the case the punch line for jokes; there are even the “Stella Awards” (for Stella Liebeck), given each year to the most outrageous and frivolous lawsuits. But if this case was so ridiculous, why did a jury award $2.9 million dollars to this 79 year old after a seven-day trial in 1994? Did McDonald’s not have good lawyers? And how did this case gain such notoriety and remain in the minds of so many people after so many years?
The McDonald’s coffee case has been routinely cited by the media as an example of how citizens have taken advantage of the legal system. In this documentary, you will learn what really happened to Stella, meet her grandson, who was driving the car, and hear from her doctor, the lawyers, McDonald’s quality assurance manager, and the jurors. Was the media’s portrayal of this case fair or was there an agenda by tort-reform groups to create a public perception that lawsuits were out of control. How did it become the poster child for tort reform, what is tort reform and how does it affect everyday Americans?
We will show how this case became so popular in the media (along with other examples of “frivolous” lawsuits), who funded the effort and to what end. We will interview political scientists, law school professors and consumer advocates who have spent years analyzing media coverage of the tort system and who controlled the message. We will show how the media was used and continues to be used for a political agenda to prevent access to the court system and immunize corporations from civil liability. We will educate the audience about caps on the amount of money that victims can receive in court in most states, how the federal government has enacted laws to prevent people from their day in court, and how the small print on credit card and real estate contracts, for example, prevent people from being able to get into the court system, denying access to justice. We will explore judicial races in states where tort reform measures have passed and then were later found unconstitutional by the State’s Supreme Courts. In many of these states there were major public relations campaigns established by tort reform groups to unseat pro-consumer justices and replace them with pro-business justices. We will interview representatives from the American Tort Reform Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (who even recently started a new website called “Faces of Lawsuit Abuse”) and even Phillip Morris, to find out what their involvement was in keeping this story alive and the motivations behind it.
We will let the audience decide who really profited from spilling hot coffee.
From the website www.hotcoffeethemovie.com:
What’s the most famous legal case in American history?
Marbury v. Madison, Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade? Ask anyone in the U.S. or abroad and they will likely tell you about a woman who spilled coffee on herself and collected millions of dollars. The McDonald’s coffee case became the poster child for frivolous lawsuits in America. Jerry Seinfeld did an entire episode where Kramer sued Java World after spilling a café latté on himself while trying to get a seat in a movie theater. Jay Leno, David Letterman and other comedians have made the case the punch line for jokes; there are even the “Stella Awards” (for Stella Liebeck), given each year to the most outrageous and frivolous lawsuits. But if this case was so ridiculous, why did a jury award $2.9 million dollars to this 79 year old after a seven-day trial in 1994? Did McDonald’s not have good lawyers? And how did this case gain such notoriety and remain in the minds of so many people after so many years?
The McDonald’s coffee case has been routinely cited by the media as an example of how citizens have taken advantage of the legal system. In this documentary, you will learn what really happened to Stella, meet her grandson, who was driving the car, and hear from her doctor, the lawyers, McDonald’s quality assurance manager, and the jurors. Was the media’s portrayal of this case fair or was there an agenda by tort-reform groups to create a public perception that lawsuits were out of control. How did it become the poster child for tort reform, what is tort reform and how does it affect everyday Americans?
We will show how this case became so popular in the media (along with other examples of “frivolous” lawsuits), who funded the effort and to what end. We will interview political scientists, law school professors and consumer advocates who have spent years analyzing media coverage of the tort system and who controlled the message. We will show how the media was used and continues to be used for a political agenda to prevent access to the court system and immunize corporations from civil liability. We will educate the audience about caps on the amount of money that victims can receive in court in most states, how the federal government has enacted laws to prevent people from their day in court, and how the small print on credit card and real estate contracts, for example, prevent people from being able to get into the court system, denying access to justice. We will explore judicial races in states where tort reform measures have passed and then were later found unconstitutional by the State’s Supreme Courts. In many of these states there were major public relations campaigns established by tort reform groups to unseat pro-consumer justices and replace them with pro-business justices. We will interview representatives from the American Tort Reform Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (who even recently started a new website called “Faces of Lawsuit Abuse”) and even Phillip Morris, to find out what their involvement was in keeping this story alive and the motivations behind it.
We will let the audience decide who really profited from spilling hot coffee.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Medical malpractice insurers earning more than ever
For Immediate Release: October 6, 2009
Contact: Ray De Lorenzi, American Association for Justice
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
Washington, DC—As Congress debates nationwide health care reform, a new analysis reveals malpractice insurers have long-played a cruel hoax on legislators and the public. By systematically distorting profits and losses, insurers created phony “financial crises,” so lawmakers would limit the legal rights of injured patients. Today, while premiums and health care costs skyrocket, malpractice insurers have average profits higher than 99 percent of Fortune 500 companies.
The key findings of the report, which analyzes the annual financial statements of the 10 largest U.S. medical malpractice insurers, include:
“As Congress looks to overhaul our nation’s health care system, it’s clear that limiting the legal rights of patients won’t lower health care costs or cover the uninsured,” continued Tarricone. “The focus should be on eliminating medical errors that injure or kill tens of thousands of Americans every year. Insurance companies clearly don’t need another handout.”
As part of its ongoing series on the topic, AAJ earlier released Medical Negligence: A Primer for the Nation’s Health Care Debate and The Truth About “Defensive Medicine.” These reports, as well as The Insurance Hoax: How Doctors and Patients Pay for the Huge Earnings of Medical Malpractice Insurers, can be located at www.justice.org/medicalnegligence.
Contact: Ray De Lorenzi, American Association for Justice
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
Medical Malpractice Insurers Earning More Than Ever
10 biggest malpractice insurers have average profits
higher than 99% of Fortune 500 companies
higher than 99% of Fortune 500 companies
Washington, DC—As Congress debates nationwide health care reform, a new analysis reveals malpractice insurers have long-played a cruel hoax on legislators and the public. By systematically distorting profits and losses, insurers created phony “financial crises,” so lawmakers would limit the legal rights of injured patients. Today, while premiums and health care costs skyrocket, malpractice insurers have average profits higher than 99 percent of Fortune 500 companies.
The key findings of the report, which analyzes the annual financial statements of the 10 largest U.S. medical malpractice insurers, include:
- The average profit of these insurance companies is higher than 99 percent of all Fortune 500 companies and 35 times higher than the Fortune 500 average for the same time period.
- Malpractice insurers have seen their profit margins range from 5.9 percent to 74.8 percent, with an average of 31.2 percent.
- After overestimating losses, insurers have since reported that losses over the last five years have been approximately 13.5 percent lower than initially reported.
- By overestimating losses, companies have underestimated profits. Insurers averaged about 5.1 percent higher profits last year and 12.4 percent higher profits two years ago; these levels of profits will likely rise as upward revisions are made.
- Medical negligence laws were passed under false pretenses. Overblown reported losses were used by the insurance industry to justify new measures restricting the rights of those injured by medical negligence.
“As Congress looks to overhaul our nation’s health care system, it’s clear that limiting the legal rights of patients won’t lower health care costs or cover the uninsured,” continued Tarricone. “The focus should be on eliminating medical errors that injure or kill tens of thousands of Americans every year. Insurance companies clearly don’t need another handout.”
As part of its ongoing series on the topic, AAJ earlier released Medical Negligence: A Primer for the Nation’s Health Care Debate and The Truth About “Defensive Medicine.” These reports, as well as The Insurance Hoax: How Doctors and Patients Pay for the Huge Earnings of Medical Malpractice Insurers, can be located at www.justice.org/medicalnegligence.
###
As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
New Ad Campaign Tells Congress to "Put Patients First"
For Immediate Release: September 22, 2009
Contact: Ray De Lorenzi, American Association for Justice
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
New AAJ Ad Campaign Tells Congress: “Put Patients First”
Calls On Congress to Improve Health Care by Reducing 98,000 Annual Deaths from Preventable Medical Errors - Like Two 727s Crashing Every Day for an Entire Year
Washington, DC—The American Association for Justice (AAJ) today launched the first phase of a nationwide ad campaign to educate lawmakers about the epidemic of preventable medical errors and how tort law changes won’t lower costs or cover the uninsured. The ads are running in opinion-leading Washington publications and influential online news sites.
According to the Institute of Medicine, 98,000 people are killed annually by preventable medical errors. “That’s like two 737s crashing every day for a whole year,” says the ad, which will initially run in Beltway publications and web sites nationwide. The ad concludes by posing the rhetorical question, “Would we blame the passengers or the airlines?”
“Our health care system is clearly broken, and if we are serious about improving it, we need to fix preventable medical errors,” said AAJ President Anthony Tarricone. “This new ad campaign gives Congress 98,000 reasons why they should put patients’ health first – before the profits of insurance companies. If we work to improve our health care system and reduce medical errors – rather than strip people of their rights – there would be far fewer victims that need legal recourse.”
The ads are an extension of AAJ’s efforts to improve the nation’s health care system by addressing preventable medical errors instead of trying to take away long-established Constitutional rights.
The Government Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office have both said taking away patients’ rights will not significantly lower health care costs and found no evidence of so-called “defensive medicine.” Nonetheless, the insurance industry, political opponents of reform and others members of the health care industrial complex have continued to use patients’ rights as bargaining chips during this debate.
“Americans deserve health care reform that will actually fix our broken system, not force them to give up their legal rights,” said Tarricone. “Let’s focus on preventing errors in the first place, not targeting those injured through no fault of their own.”
To learn more about AAJ’s ad campaign and the role of medical negligence in the health care debate, visit www.98000reasons.org.
As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
Contact: Ray De Lorenzi, American Association for Justice
202-965-3500 x369
AAJ Press Room
New AAJ Ad Campaign Tells Congress: “Put Patients First”
Calls On Congress to Improve Health Care by Reducing 98,000 Annual Deaths from Preventable Medical Errors - Like Two 727s Crashing Every Day for an Entire Year
Washington, DC—The American Association for Justice (AAJ) today launched the first phase of a nationwide ad campaign to educate lawmakers about the epidemic of preventable medical errors and how tort law changes won’t lower costs or cover the uninsured. The ads are running in opinion-leading Washington publications and influential online news sites.
According to the Institute of Medicine, 98,000 people are killed annually by preventable medical errors. “That’s like two 737s crashing every day for a whole year,” says the ad, which will initially run in Beltway publications and web sites nationwide. The ad concludes by posing the rhetorical question, “Would we blame the passengers or the airlines?”
“Our health care system is clearly broken, and if we are serious about improving it, we need to fix preventable medical errors,” said AAJ President Anthony Tarricone. “This new ad campaign gives Congress 98,000 reasons why they should put patients’ health first – before the profits of insurance companies. If we work to improve our health care system and reduce medical errors – rather than strip people of their rights – there would be far fewer victims that need legal recourse.”
The ads are an extension of AAJ’s efforts to improve the nation’s health care system by addressing preventable medical errors instead of trying to take away long-established Constitutional rights.
The Government Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office have both said taking away patients’ rights will not significantly lower health care costs and found no evidence of so-called “defensive medicine.” Nonetheless, the insurance industry, political opponents of reform and others members of the health care industrial complex have continued to use patients’ rights as bargaining chips during this debate.
“Americans deserve health care reform that will actually fix our broken system, not force them to give up their legal rights,” said Tarricone. “Let’s focus on preventing errors in the first place, not targeting those injured through no fault of their own.”
To learn more about AAJ’s ad campaign and the role of medical negligence in the health care debate, visit www.98000reasons.org.
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As the world's largest trial bar, the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) works to make sure people have a fair chance to receive justice through the legal system when they are injured by the negligence or misconduct of others--even when it means taking on the most powerful corporations. Visit http://www.justice.org.
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