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"Physicians representing the medical societies of nine counties will attend a malpractice seminar today at Westmoreland Regional Hospital in Greensburg. On Tuesday, they will travel to Harrisburg to pressure lawmakers to reform the malpractice insurance industry."

I'm sure there is room for legislative reformation/changes in the insurance industry, but it seems to me that people that get hurt and go to a physician for help somehow thinks that the physician is God and is capable of doing wrong, but that his nature is not to ... consequently, the physician is at fault every time something goes wrong and it is an intentional malpractice by the physician.

Lawyers must figure in to this equation as well.

They too are somewhat of an elite entity in the eyes of the public and they promise to get some money for the client/patient.

All of this stems, IMO, from a wrong worldview that has developed because people no longer have life in a proper perspective.

Instead of,
"Don't touch that stove ... it'll burn you."

We have,
"Don't touch that stove ... it'll burn you. But if you do get burned, don't worry we'll get you money somehow."

I'm telling you, folks, if our state and federal governments do not stop this insanity in our justice system we do not need to worry about how our nation will fall. You know most of these cases never make it to trial..The Doctor's insurance company will pay up to get rid of the persecution. Then, guess what? It goes on the physician's public record that he was sued and lost. Therefore, people think he is incompetent, when the reality is that the deep pockets are the successful and skilled doctors who are most likely to perform risky surgeries and treatments and therefore are most vunerable to this kind of mischief. Did the Godfather practice this kind of thing..I think so. The problem is that we have allowed the seats in government to be occupied by lawyers. The Trial Lawyers Association, as I understand it, are BIG donors to political parties. A "Loser Pays" law should come into being..Other advanced nations have it and they do not have this kind of problem. I have heard that the frivilous activity of trial lawyers exacts a 2% hidden tax on our society, and they produce nothing. They are parasitical. People need to march in the streets on this one. A great article about this, GETTING FAT ON TORTS by William Tucker, was published in the WEEKLY STANDARD, Feb., 24, 2003. I sometimes wonder where these greedy lawyers find doctors to treat them when they are sick. To all good lawyers out there..I know these guys and gals give you a lot of business defending the people and the companies they bring suits against, but you need to police your profession..There are many more of you than there are of them. It would be a great legacy to leave your society...

Here's a simple 2 step solution.

Have every patient agree in writing before becoming a patient that they, nor any lawyer working on their behalf, will sue their doctor for malpractice unless that doctor FIRST is found liable for malpractice by a majority of a pre-selected 4 doctor board of same-specialty doctors who determine that he is indeed guilty of malpractice. The board will have 4 members with one member each appointed by: the patient, the doctor, the insurance board, and the state.

This takes it into the area of an existing contract between the patient and the doctor.

The patient is not giving up his right to sue. He is only making it contingent on a finding of malpractice by a committee of other specialists in the field.

Atlas is shrugging.

What doctors ought to do is go on the offensive and let it be known they're not going to roll over and settle ridiculous lawsuits anymore.

Instead of paying huge premiums to insurance companies whose first response is to settle (therefore encouraging more lawsuits), they ought to pay into a legal defense fund to fight tooth and nail any frivolous lawsuit.