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Tort reform cap is crucial to Miss. future

Published 12:02am Friday, December 21, 2012

In these parts the term “judicial hellhole” is one many understand.

A decade ago, our close neighbors to the north, in Jefferson County, were center stage in what led to a statewide call for reform in our judicial system.

A Jefferson County pharmacist was named in more than 1,000 lawsuits, and a jury awarded $1 billion to the family of a woman who died from a weight-loss drug.

That was before tort reform.

Now tort reform laws put a $1 million cap on non-economic damages in such cases. It was a move that not only stopped ridiculous lawsuits that padded the pockets of filthy rich lawyers, but one that, many argue, saved the economy of our state.

Now, a lawsuit to scrap the cap awaits action.

Thankfully, Gov. Phil Bryant chimed in this week, issuing a response to the lawsuit in support of the law.

It should absolutely be the priority of our state’s top leader to do what he can to keep the cap in place. Eliminating the cap could cripple our health care system, send our doctors packing to nearby states and close down health-care related industries that employ thousands.

No ruling on the matter is expected immediately, but we hope the Fifth Circuit Court understands how important its answer is to Mississippi.

 

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  • Anonymous

    ALL THAT COMMOTION CAME ABOUT ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS BLACKS RECEIVING THAT MONEY. IF THEY WERE ALL WHITE, YOU WOULDN’T HAVE HEARD A WORD. YOU REALLY DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHO REALLY BEEN AND STILL IS RIPPING AMERICA OFF. AS FOR PHIL BRYANT, I REALLY WISH JIM HOOD GIVE HIM A RUN FOR HIS MONEY. I KNOW JIM HAVE THE PEOPLE BEHIND HIM TO WIN.

  • Anonymous

    Tort reform is all smoke and mirrors. Why do you think it is acceptable for big corporations to trod on peoples’ rights? The justice system and the punitive awards are there to make sure that corporations don’t kill people with their product. Big punitive awards are necessary when even $1 billion is a drop in the bucket for these pharmaceutical companies, besides all the tax giveaways we give them with our tax dollars. The problem with these awards is it is usually not enough for the company to quit marketing unsafe drugs that kill people.

    I remember doctors moving to LA because of tort laws in Mississippi. They said their insurance was too much because of it. Well, guess what? Their insurance premiums did not drop a penny when they moved. Tort reform is just noise so the corporations cannot be harmed financially when they kill people. You don’t really think corporations care about you, do you?

  • http://www.natchezdemocrat.com khakirat

    I feel as others that a million dollar cap isn’t enough when a person is messed up for life due to a doctor or medical mistake or personal damages in a wreak or etc.. Your family may have to have care for the person on a 24 hour a day the rest of their life that is costly that will run through a million dollars in no time flat!!!

  • Anonymous

    I’m pretty sure that would fall under “economic damages”. The cap is for non-economic damages, i.e. getting an award because a family member died.

  • Anonymous

    Half of that makes no sense and the other half is pure nonsense. Are you really so stupid as to think you can bleed doctors and pharmaceutical companies dry and it not affect the cost to consumers? Here’s a tip for you. I know that this may be difficult to grasp but the companies sued don’t pay the settlement. Their customers pay it via higher prices for medical services and drugs, you imbecile. You think the doctors and companies grow that money on trees in their back yards? No, it comes from consumers of medical services which are largely the elderly and people with chronic conditions. All you are doing is wishing higher medical costs for everybody in your ignorant attempts to harm the people who supply us with life-saving medical services and drugs.

  • Anonymous

    I forgot to mention that I know someone who got just over $100K in that Fen-Phen settlement. He bought two top of the line SUVs and took his entire extended family to Disney. He spent every penny on frivolity.

  • Anonymous

    Its a shame that there was no mention in this article of the people who went to jail in Jefferson County because of fraudulent Fen-Phen claims. There were many others elsewhere. These big payouts just encourage scammers to game the system.

  • Anonymous

    Yep, spent on diamond rings and Cadillac Escalades to drive down Roth Hill to show their bling at the new casino.

  • http://www.natchezdemocrat.com khakirat

    Yes, you are right but that’s not everyone for I know people that needed more than a million(La. I think is only $250,000) but the tort put their families in bankruptcy in Ms. and La. and that’s not justice!!

    In a message dated 12/21/2012 8:56:50 P.M. Central Standard Time, notifications@disqus.net writes:

    (http://disqus.com/)

    oldsouthgent wrote, in response to khakirat:
    Yep, spent on diamond rings and Cadillac Escalades to drive down Roth Hill to show their bling at the new casino.

    _Link to comment_ (http://redirect.disqus.com/url?url=http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2012/12/21/tort-reform-cap-is-crucial-to-miss-future/#comment-7453 61710:s27SIf8FkUol1WKitRBY3h7tYn4&imp=e5d3b7b9-3ab8-412a-9083-b3d656bda5b7&z one=notifications.clicks&forum=natchezdemocrat&thread=985365826)

  • Anonymous

    ANOTHER REPUBLICAN ORGANIZATION IS GETTING READY TO BITE THE DUST BETTER KNOWN AS THE N.R.A. IF THIS SHOOTING DON’T BRING THEM DOWN, NOTHING WILL. THE SOONER THEY ARE DEFLATED, THE SAFER AND PROSPEROUS THIS COUNTRY WILL BE. THE NRA AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ARE BEST OF BUDDIES ON THERE WAY OUT OF THE DOOR. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE OPEN THERE EYES WIDER THAN EVER BEFORE. IT’S SO SAD IT TOOK THE KILLING OF DOZEN OF CHILDRENS TO BRING THEM TO THE FOREFRONT.

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