Even Trial Lawyers Admit - Tort Reform Works!

It seems that in the October issue of the American Bar Association Journal, America's resident legal 'masters' have a bone to pick - with the State of Texas. That's right, it seems that America's most unstoppable industry has finally hit a roadblock; and one with two long steer horns on it at that. Here are some choice quotes I've seen from the ABA Journal's cover story:

- A plaintiff attorney states: "My income has dropped to probably 10 percent of what I made in 2003."
- Another attorney, a former president of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association states: "And it noticeably hit the defense side hardest first. Their practices are drying up."
- On page 33: "The number of medical - malpractice cases filed there in 2005 was down 41 percent from the average number of filings during the six years before 2003." (emphasis added)
- "Texas' net gain of more than 4000 physicians since tort reforms were enacted in 2003..."
- "More significant is the 44 percent increase in physician licensure applications in just the past year..."

Wow! You mean enacting Tort reform will actually help decrease the amount of frivolous lawsuits and aid the healthcare system by increasing the number of available Doctors? No way! Yup folks, that's right, if you simply put the necessary reforms into place, you'll get the positive results. Imagine. Just think, all those patients in Texas now have 4,000 new Doctors to choose from - this means the Docs will have to improve the quality of the services they provide due to the increase in competition for those services. And the patients are the real winners because increased competition means not only better quality but likely cheaper prices too! Ain't Capitalism sumthin'?!?

If you want to find out more about the great success tort and medical liability reform has had in Texas check out the following links:

- An Editorial by Texas Gov. Rick Perry on the success of his proposed reforms.
- An assessment from the Texas Medical Association.
- Rick Perry's webpage on Tort and Liability Reform. (several good links on this page)

So, congrats to Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Legislature for doing the right thing; and also, kudos to the people of Texas for passing (the damages-capping) Proposition 12 back in 2003.