Tort Reform Would Cure Med Mal Crisis

Sunday, February 24th, 2002 Legislation & Regulation Liability

West Virginia’s medical malpractice insurance market was downgraded to critical condition after St. Paul’s recent announcement to leave that line. And it is conceivable that many other states will follow suit as the nation’s largest medical malpractice insurer phases out of the market during the next two years. Without meaningful tort reform, it is almost certain that the state of medical malpractice insurance will soon be on life support. The size of jury awards in medical malpractice cases skyrocketed by 76 percent from 1996 to 1999, even though the frequency of such awards has remained stable. As a result of these increased loss costs, insurers must charge higher rates or abandon the market.

---

http://www.nationalunderwriter.com/archives/Pc_archive/2002/P01-28/P200204tort.asp

---