What is a Trial Lawyer?

Medical negligence kills close to 100,000 people a year.

AMA Statistics show-#of doctors in USA increased 40% since 1990;# of ER doctors doubled; neurosurgeons increased 20%; ob-gyn increased 25%.

According to the Congressional Budget Office med mal costs less than 2% of health care spending. 25-30% reduction in MM spending wouldn’t lower health insurance premiums by more than ½ of 1%.

Caps on damages don’t reduce medical malpractice insurance premiums. Many states after enacting caps saw premiums rise consistently over a long period. Increased premiums come from insurance company gouging doctors and hospitals. In the last two years some studies show premiums rising 120% while claims payouts rose less than 6%.

Trial lawyers unwavering commitment to justice for ordinary people to hold wrongdoers accountable on the level playing field of the courtroom represents the best design of our system of government.

Our pledge is that any person injured by the misconduct or negligence of others should get justice in the courtroom no matter how powerful the wrongdoer may be.

Without our civil justice system there would be no check and balance on large corporations and their leaders irresponsibly delaying and paying fair and just insurance claims, producing unsafe products, polluting our environment, swindling employees and shareholders, the last resort for Americans to hold them accountable is in the courts.

It is important now more than ever to support ordinary trial lawyers as the last line of defense for the people facing economic and health challenges from large corporations who dominate our political system—ordinary people cannot depend on our political institutions to protect them from harm.

There is no lawsuit crisis. Overall filings have declined 10% since 1994. Automobile filings have fallen 14% since 1996. Federal court filings have fallen 10% since 1995.

Settlements are low. The Department of Justice found the median adjusted award as of 2001 was just $28,000. Even in medical malpractice cases the median award was just $171,000

Juries are not biased toward plaintiffs. Meritless cases rarely win. Judges and juries and independent reviewers are in agreement as to verdicts most of the time. Juries are most likely to rule for the defendant!

Our civil justice system requires those who cause harm to pay for it and not to dump the cost onto the public tab; corporate polluters and negligent operators and manufacturers of defective products should not dump victims on to the public welfare safety net. Trial lawyers should make it economically unwise for companies to sell dangerous and defective products which stick the public with the bill.

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