Public Citizen Blames Malpractice Suits Against Doctors for Texas' Malpractice Insurance Crisis
February 11, 2003
Public Citizen, a major consumer interest group and strong supporter of trial lawyers in the current medical malpractice insurance crisis, released a study Monday blaming high premiums in Texas on frequent medical mistakes made by "repeat offender" physicians. According to Public Citizen director Dr. Sidney Wolfe, between September 1990 and September 2002, 6.5 percent of Texas' doctors made two or more malpractice payouts, worth more than a combined $1 billion. These awards represented 51.3 percent of all payments. Only 2.2 percent of the doctors made three or more payments, representing a quarter of all payouts.
Public Citizen is asking the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners to investigate 272 doctors who have lost or settled four or more medical malpractice cases and 45 physicians who have lost six or more malpractice suits. The study reveals that between 3,200 and 7,200 preventable deaths are caused by medical errors each year, costing families and communities $1.3 billion to $2.2 billion annually.
U.S. physicians are attempting to influence lawmakers to pass legislation, endorsed by President Bush, capping non-economic damages to medical malpractice victims at $250,000.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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