Pa. Judge Rules Public Has Right to Know Details of Medical Malpractice Settlement

October 8, 2004

  • October 8, 2004 at 10:45 am
    Timothy Patrick says:
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    Although I do not see eye to eye with any trial lawyer on the issues of tort reform, the measure taken by this judge in Pennsyvania is the right thing to do. Too many medical professionals commit errors of judgement that go unnotice to the unsuspecting public because they are able to hide their errors behind legally binding agreements of secrecy. Since the medical profession as much as the legal profession does not police their own as well as they should (i.e. peer review with assured punitive actions being meted out, such as license suspension, etc.), then it should be the court system that weeds out the malpractitioner.

    In this case, its public money paying the fine and the public deserves to know how their money is being spent.

    Now, tort reform is a much needed adjustment to our legal system. Medical professionals should be allowed a measure of certainty that their errors are not punitively corrected in ways that cripple their ability to practice their profession. Some reasonable cap on punitive damages should be instituted. A cap formula that takes into account the ‘true’ income potential of an individual, not some slot machine, lottery mentality of getting rich. Yes, some monetary standard should be applied for future medical treatment if the error committed creates a potential or real medical situation but to allow payment of damages that are no where near the actual harm committed is criminal, in my opinion.

  • October 8, 2004 at 3:18 am
    Debbie J. Marshall says:
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    I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Patrick. As one who lost a child as a result of medical malpractice, I can certainly emphathize with the plantiffs. As they say, Doctors bury their mistakes.

  • October 13, 2004 at 10:23 am
    steve says:
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    I agree whole heartedly we as a public need to know of any medical professional that is found guilty of negligence, not just ones whose awards come from tax money. The idea should be to protect the next unsuspecting victim from an incompententant doctor.
    The Medical profession has not done a good job of policeing themselves.



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