Summary of malpractice effects

This intelligent letter, from the University of Arizona Daily Wildcat, neatly summarizes some of the costs of the current malpractice litigation system:

"Dillon Fishman's defense of the current tort system is misleading. Our tort system drains $200 billion from the U.S. economy each year. The median jury award in malpractice cases exceeds $1 million, which is more than adequate for the starving litigator. Meanwhile, skyrocketing insurance premiums have forced many obstetricians and specialists out of business. Furthermore, the hidden costs of fraudulent malpractice claims may be much greater than the insurance premiums. More than 70 percent of doctors order unnecessary tests and treatments simply to avoid being sued. "

Link (2nd letter down)...