[Temple Owl]

No they don't. They need the state legislature to pass a law that permits doctors to have their patients sign documents agreeing not to sue for malpractice UNLESS the doctor is first found liable for malpractice by a neutral, state-appointed committee of same-specialty doctors. Malpractice will be defined as gross professional negligence. In other words, the patient can sue for REAL malpractice. Real malpractice will be determined by a committee doctors who have the same specialty as the doctor being sued. Real Malpractice will only be defined as gross professional negligence.

I like your idea. I think if implemented, it would help solve the proble. Term limits would also help.

[RockBassCreek]

I think there's also wisdom in legislation that establishes ratio's between actual damages and punitive damages. If actual damage is 1 million dollars, then punitive damage should rise no higher 10 times that for punitive damage involving gross negiglence. (10:1 was arbitrary - pick another number if you wish. Also, actual damage includes loss of income, costs of rehab., etc.)