I don’t think tort reform in medical negligence cases is needed.
Between 44,000 and 98,000 people die in hospitals annually each year due to preventable medical errors, according to the Institute of Medicine. A survey of doctors and other adults released in December in the New England Journal of Medicine found that more than a third of the doctors said they or their family members had experienced medical errors, most leading to serious health consequences.
The cost to society in terms of disability and health care costs, lost income, lost household production and the personal costs of care are estimated to be between $17 billion and $29 billion. In contrast, the medical liability system costs $6.7 billion annually, about what is spent on dog food each year.
The New England Journal of Medicine, arguably the most prestigious medical publication in the world, is conducting a survey on whether Americans believe tort reform in the medical malpractice arena is needed.