Colorado physicians have been engaged in an ongoing battle with that state’s trial lawyers regarding a bill that would dramatically increase the amount of money patients and their trial attorneys can collect in medical malpractice awards. In March, the Colorado Senate narrowly passed S.B. 164, a bill supported by the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association that would raise the cap on noneconomic damages in civil suits by 50 percent to more than $450,000. The bill also removes damage awards for physical disfigurement and impairment from the state’s noneconomic damages cap entirely, thus opening the door for large jury awards.
According to the Colorado AFP, if the legislation is enacted, physicians, especially those in rural areas, may not be able to afford their malpractice insurance, and some may have to curtail or even eliminate services, which could lead to overall higher health care costs. The Colorado House Judiciary Committee currently is considering the bill, and Colorado physicians and their allies in the House are confident they can defeat the measure before the state’s legislative session ends later this spring.
According to the Colorado AFP, if the legislation is enacted, physicians, especially those in rural areas, may not be able to afford their malpractice insurance, and some may have to curtail or even eliminate services, which could lead to overall higher health care costs. The Colorado House Judiciary Committee currently is considering the bill, and Colorado physicians and their allies in the House are confident they can defeat the measure before the state’s legislative session ends later this spring.
Please click on the link below to read the American Academy of Family Physicians article:
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/professional-issues/20080416colomalpractice.html
For more information on defending medical malpractice, nursing home and general liability matters in Florida contact Howard Citron at Citron & Associates, P.A. – www.citronlegal.com.
