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Madison County & St Clair not hellholes any more
Madison County and St Clair Illinois wer taken off the "Judicial Hellhole" list this year. Amazing, they have been the haven for frivolous lasuits that take millions of dollars from people. Just amazing. Well, they are still on the "Watch List" though.
But Cook County Ranks Third In ATRA Report
Madison
County, Illinois, long considered to have one of the most
plaintiff-friendly legal systems in the United States, has been removed
from the American Tort Reform Foundation’s annual list of "judicial
hellholes."While Madison County remains on an American Tort
Reform Association "watch list," the new status for the Southwest
Illinois county is a confirmation that reforms initiated by Chief Judge
Anne Callis and her colleagues are having a positive impact.Indicative
of the changes in Madison County, local newspapers reported last week
that plaintiffs in three civil trials had lost their lawsuits in the
span of one week. Plaintiff attorneys have long viewed Madison County
as a friendly venue, explaining the high volume of litigation filed in
Madison County.In an Illinois Civil Justice League study in
2005, it was revealed that Madison County had almost twice the volume
of litigation per capita than Cook County, the largest county in
Illinois and still included on the "judicial hellholes" list."This
is good news for the people of Madison County and it is good news for
the people of Illinois," said Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois
Civil Justice League and a member of the board of directors of the
American Tort Reform Association. "Judge Callis and her colleagues
vowed to improve the administration of justice in Madison County and
they have been working to do that just. They have met with doctors,
with hospitals, with business leaders and with the ICJL to learn of the
many concerns about justice in Madison County and they have been
working to assure fairness to all parties."Not so favorable was the repeat appearance on the "hellholes" list by Cook County, about which the ATRA report commented,
"…it
seems that the unfortunate pattern of Cook County verdicts for 2007 is
that for every reasoned decision limiting excessive awards, thee is
another extraordinary verdict waiting in the wings."A
third Illinois county, St. Clair, the neighbor of Madison County, also
has been placed on the "watch list," removed from the "hellholes"
category it had last year. St. Clair seems to have benefited from the
improvements in Madison County and the frequent linking of the two
Mississippi River counties across the river from St. Louis. St. Clair
has not demonstrated any eagerness for reform but there is no doubt
they’ll accept the reduced criticism.
Madison County & St Clair not hellholes any more
Madison County and St Clair Illinois wer taken off the "Judicial Hellhole" list this year. Amazing, they have been the haven for frivolous lasuits that take millions of dollars from people. Just amazing. Well, they are still on the "Watch List" though.
But Cook County Ranks Third In ATRA Report
Madison
County, Illinois, long considered to have one of the most
plaintiff-friendly legal systems in the United States, has been removed
from the American Tort Reform Foundation’s annual list of "judicial
hellholes."While Madison County remains on an American Tort
Reform Association "watch list," the new status for the Southwest
Illinois county is a confirmation that reforms initiated by Chief Judge
Anne Callis and her colleagues are having a positive impact.Indicative
of the changes in Madison County, local newspapers reported last week
that plaintiffs in three civil trials had lost their lawsuits in the
span of one week. Plaintiff attorneys have long viewed Madison County
as a friendly venue, explaining the high volume of litigation filed in
Madison County.In an Illinois Civil Justice League study in
2005, it was revealed that Madison County had almost twice the volume
of litigation per capita than Cook County, the largest county in
Illinois and still included on the "judicial hellholes" list."This
is good news for the people of Madison County and it is good news for
the people of Illinois," said Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois
Civil Justice League and a member of the board of directors of the
American Tort Reform Association. "Judge Callis and her colleagues
vowed to improve the administration of justice in Madison County and
they have been working to do that just. They have met with doctors,
with hospitals, with business leaders and with the ICJL to learn of the
many concerns about justice in Madison County and they have been
working to assure fairness to all parties."Not so favorable was the repeat appearance on the "hellholes" list by Cook County, about which the ATRA report commented,
"…it
seems that the unfortunate pattern of Cook County verdicts for 2007 is
that for every reasoned decision limiting excessive awards, thee is
another extraordinary verdict waiting in the wings."A
third Illinois county, St. Clair, the neighbor of Madison County, also
has been placed on the "watch list," removed from the "hellholes"
category it had last year. St. Clair seems to have benefited from the
improvements in Madison County and the frequent linking of the two
Mississippi River counties across the river from St. Louis. St. Clair
has not demonstrated any eagerness for reform but there is no doubt
they’ll accept the reduced criticism.
Madison County & St Clair not hellholes any more
Madison County and St Clair Illinois wer taken off the "Judicial Hellhole" list this year. Amazing, they have been the haven for frivolous lasuits that take millions of dollars from people. Just amazing. Well, they are still on the "Watch List" though.
But Cook County Ranks Third In ATRA Report
Madison
County, Illinois, long considered to have one of the most
plaintiff-friendly legal systems in the United States, has been removed
from the American Tort Reform Foundation’s annual list of "judicial
hellholes."While Madison County remains on an American Tort
Reform Association "watch list," the new status for the Southwest
Illinois county is a confirmation that reforms initiated by Chief Judge
Anne Callis and her colleagues are having a positive impact.Indicative
of the changes in Madison County, local newspapers reported last week
that plaintiffs in three civil trials had lost their lawsuits in the
span of one week. Plaintiff attorneys have long viewed Madison County
as a friendly venue, explaining the high volume of litigation filed in
Madison County.In an Illinois Civil Justice League study in
2005, it was revealed that Madison County had almost twice the volume
of litigation per capita than Cook County, the largest county in
Illinois and still included on the "judicial hellholes" list."This
is good news for the people of Madison County and it is good news for
the people of Illinois," said Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois
Civil Justice League and a member of the board of directors of the
American Tort Reform Association. "Judge Callis and her colleagues
vowed to improve the administration of justice in Madison County and
they have been working to do that just. They have met with doctors,
with hospitals, with business leaders and with the ICJL to learn of the
many concerns about justice in Madison County and they have been
working to assure fairness to all parties."Not so favorable was the repeat appearance on the "hellholes" list by Cook County, about which the ATRA report commented,
"…it
seems that the unfortunate pattern of Cook County verdicts for 2007 is
that for every reasoned decision limiting excessive awards, thee is
another extraordinary verdict waiting in the wings."A
third Illinois county, St. Clair, the neighbor of Madison County, also
has been placed on the "watch list," removed from the "hellholes"
category it had last year. St. Clair seems to have benefited from the
improvements in Madison County and the frequent linking of the two
Mississippi River counties across the river from St. Louis. St. Clair
has not demonstrated any eagerness for reform but there is no doubt
they’ll accept the reduced criticism.
Madison County & St Clair not hellholes any more
Madison County and St Clair Illinois wer taken off the "Judicial Hellhole" list this year. Amazing, they have been the haven for frivolous lasuits that take millions of dollars from people. Just amazing. Well, they are still on the "Watch List" though.
But Cook County Ranks Third In ATRA Report
Madison
County, Illinois, long considered to have one of the most
plaintiff-friendly legal systems in the United States, has been removed
from the American Tort Reform Foundation’s annual list of "judicial
hellholes."While Madison County remains on an American Tort
Reform Association "watch list," the new status for the Southwest
Illinois county is a confirmation that reforms initiated by Chief Judge
Anne Callis and her colleagues are having a positive impact.Indicative
of the changes in Madison County, local newspapers reported last week
that plaintiffs in three civil trials had lost their lawsuits in the
span of one week. Plaintiff attorneys have long viewed Madison County
as a friendly venue, explaining the high volume of litigation filed in
Madison County.In an Illinois Civil Justice League study in
2005, it was revealed that Madison County had almost twice the volume
of litigation per capita than Cook County, the largest county in
Illinois and still included on the "judicial hellholes" list."This
is good news for the people of Madison County and it is good news for
the people of Illinois," said Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois
Civil Justice League and a member of the board of directors of the
American Tort Reform Association. "Judge Callis and her colleagues
vowed to improve the administration of justice in Madison County and
they have been working to do that just. They have met with doctors,
with hospitals, with business leaders and with the ICJL to learn of the
many concerns about justice in Madison County and they have been
working to assure fairness to all parties."Not so favorable was the repeat appearance on the "hellholes" list by Cook County, about which the ATRA report commented,
"…it
seems that the unfortunate pattern of Cook County verdicts for 2007 is
that for every reasoned decision limiting excessive awards, thee is
another extraordinary verdict waiting in the wings."A
third Illinois county, St. Clair, the neighbor of Madison County, also
has been placed on the "watch list," removed from the "hellholes"
category it had last year. St. Clair seems to have benefited from the
improvements in Madison County and the frequent linking of the two
Mississippi River counties across the river from St. Louis. St. Clair
has not demonstrated any eagerness for reform but there is no doubt
they’ll accept the reduced criticism.
Madison County & St Clair not hellholes any more
Madison County and St Clair Illinois wer taken off the "Judicial Hellhole" list this year. Amazing, they have been the haven for frivolous lasuits that take millions of dollars from people. Just amazing. Well, they are still on the "Watch List" though.
But Cook County Ranks Third In ATRA Report
Madison
County, Illinois, long considered to have one of the most
plaintiff-friendly legal systems in the United States, has been removed
from the American Tort Reform Foundation’s annual list of "judicial
hellholes."While Madison County remains on an American Tort
Reform Association "watch list," the new status for the Southwest
Illinois county is a confirmation that reforms initiated by Chief Judge
Anne Callis and her colleagues are having a positive impact.Indicative
of the changes in Madison County, local newspapers reported last week
that plaintiffs in three civil trials had lost their lawsuits in the
span of one week. Plaintiff attorneys have long viewed Madison County
as a friendly venue, explaining the high volume of litigation filed in
Madison County.In an Illinois Civil Justice League study in
2005, it was revealed that Madison County had almost twice the volume
of litigation per capita than Cook County, the largest county in
Illinois and still included on the "judicial hellholes" list."This
is good news for the people of Madison County and it is good news for
the people of Illinois," said Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois
Civil Justice League and a member of the board of directors of the
American Tort Reform Association. "Judge Callis and her colleagues
vowed to improve the administration of justice in Madison County and
they have been working to do that just. They have met with doctors,
with hospitals, with business leaders and with the ICJL to learn of the
many concerns about justice in Madison County and they have been
working to assure fairness to all parties."Not so favorable was the repeat appearance on the "hellholes" list by Cook County, about which the ATRA report commented,
"…it
seems that the unfortunate pattern of Cook County verdicts for 2007 is
that for every reasoned decision limiting excessive awards, thee is
another extraordinary verdict waiting in the wings."A
third Illinois county, St. Clair, the neighbor of Madison County, also
has been placed on the "watch list," removed from the "hellholes"
category it had last year. St. Clair seems to have benefited from the
improvements in Madison County and the frequent linking of the two
Mississippi River counties across the river from St. Louis. St. Clair
has not demonstrated any eagerness for reform but there is no doubt
they’ll accept the reduced criticism.
Madison County & St Clair not hellholes any more
Madison County and St Clair Illinois wer taken off the "Judicial Hellhole" list this year. Amazing, they have been the haven for frivolous lasuits that take millions of dollars from people. Just amazing. Well, they are still on the "Watch List" though.
But Cook County Ranks Third In ATRA Report
Madison
County, Illinois, long considered to have one of the most
plaintiff-friendly legal systems in the United States, has been removed
from the American Tort Reform Foundation’s annual list of "judicial
hellholes."While Madison County remains on an American Tort
Reform Association "watch list," the new status for the Southwest
Illinois county is a confirmation that reforms initiated by Chief Judge
Anne Callis and her colleagues are having a positive impact.Indicative
of the changes in Madison County, local newspapers reported last week
that plaintiffs in three civil trials had lost their lawsuits in the
span of one week. Plaintiff attorneys have long viewed Madison County
as a friendly venue, explaining the high volume of litigation filed in
Madison County.In an Illinois Civil Justice League study in
2005, it was revealed that Madison County had almost twice the volume
of litigation per capita than Cook County, the largest county in
Illinois and still included on the "judicial hellholes" list."This
is good news for the people of Madison County and it is good news for
the people of Illinois," said Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois
Civil Justice League and a member of the board of directors of the
American Tort Reform Association. "Judge Callis and her colleagues
vowed to improve the administration of justice in Madison County and
they have been working to do that just. They have met with doctors,
with hospitals, with business leaders and with the ICJL to learn of the
many concerns about justice in Madison County and they have been
working to assure fairness to all parties."Not so favorable was the repeat appearance on the "hellholes" list by Cook County, about which the ATRA report commented,
"…it
seems that the unfortunate pattern of Cook County verdicts for 2007 is
that for every reasoned decision limiting excessive awards, thee is
another extraordinary verdict waiting in the wings."A
third Illinois county, St. Clair, the neighbor of Madison County, also
has been placed on the "watch list," removed from the "hellholes"
category it had last year. St. Clair seems to have benefited from the
improvements in Madison County and the frequent linking of the two
Mississippi River counties across the river from St. Louis. St. Clair
has not demonstrated any eagerness for reform but there is no doubt
they’ll accept the reduced criticism.
Madison County & St Clair not hellholes any more
Madison County and St Clair Illinois wer taken off the "Judicial Hellhole" list this year. Amazing, they have been the haven for frivolous lasuits that take millions of dollars from people. Just amazing. Well, they are still on the "Watch List" though.
But Cook County Ranks Third In ATRA Report
Madison
County, Illinois, long considered to have one of the most
plaintiff-friendly legal systems in the United States, has been removed
from the American Tort Reform Foundation’s annual list of "judicial
hellholes."While Madison County remains on an American Tort
Reform Association "watch list," the new status for the Southwest
Illinois county is a confirmation that reforms initiated by Chief Judge
Anne Callis and her colleagues are having a positive impact.Indicative
of the changes in Madison County, local newspapers reported last week
that plaintiffs in three civil trials had lost their lawsuits in the
span of one week. Plaintiff attorneys have long viewed Madison County
as a friendly venue, explaining the high volume of litigation filed in
Madison County.In an Illinois Civil Justice League study in
2005, it was revealed that Madison County had almost twice the volume
of litigation per capita than Cook County, the largest county in
Illinois and still included on the "judicial hellholes" list."This
is good news for the people of Madison County and it is good news for
the people of Illinois," said Ed Murnane, president of the Illinois
Civil Justice League and a member of the board of directors of the
American Tort Reform Association. "Judge Callis and her colleagues
vowed to improve the administration of justice in Madison County and
they have been working to do that just. They have met with doctors,
with hospitals, with business leaders and with the ICJL to learn of the
many concerns about justice in Madison County and they have been
working to assure fairness to all parties."Not so favorable was the repeat appearance on the "hellholes" list by Cook County, about which the ATRA report commented,
"…it
seems that the unfortunate pattern of Cook County verdicts for 2007 is
that for every reasoned decision limiting excessive awards, thee is
another extraordinary verdict waiting in the wings."A
third Illinois county, St. Clair, the neighbor of Madison County, also
has been placed on the "watch list," removed from the "hellholes"
category it had last year. St. Clair seems to have benefited from the
improvements in Madison County and the frequent linking of the two
Mississippi River counties across the river from St. Louis. St. Clair
has not demonstrated any eagerness for reform but there is no doubt
they’ll accept the reduced criticism.
Lawyer v Doctor on Witness Stand
Just for fun – the following have been making the rounds on the internet for sometime and are supposed to be actual exchanges in court. I don’t know about that, but they are funny.
Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
Q: All your responses must be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
A: Oral.
Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.
Q: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
Q: Now doctor, isn’t it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn’t know about it until the next morning?
Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for blood pressure?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for breathing?
A: No.
Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
A: No.
Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Q: But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?
A: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practising law somewhere.
If these are real, the only explanation is that the lawyer was already thinking about what he was going to ask next or who he should call to the stand next instead of listening. Juggling thousands of things in your head at the same time during trial is not easy.
Julia
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We need Medical Tort reform
Today at Townhall.com Congressman Scott Garrett has a great editorial about the need for medical tort reform. We need to get rid of all the frivolous lawsuits and big money give aways in medical lawsuits. More and more doctors are leaving states (like Illinois) because lawsuits and medical insurance has gone thru the roof. One of our family friends moved to Kentucky instread of practicing here in the St. Clair County Illinois, because he could not afford the insurance.
We need medical tort reform
May 24, 2006
by Congressman Scott Garrett ( bio | archive )America’s medical tort system is broken. And patients are the ones left to pick up the pieces. Skyrocketing liability insurance premiums for doctors across the nation are seriously threatening patient access to care.
A significant cause of the medical liability crisis is the unrestrained escalation in jury awards that are part of a legal system that in many states is simply out of control. According to Jury Verdict Research, between 1994-2001, the average liability award increased 176 percent.
Nearly 70 percent of medical liability cases are deemed frivolous and closed without any award of damages. However, the cost of defending even those cases typically exceeds $40,000. That cost more than doubles if the case ends up going to trial. In 2002, medical liability insurers’ payouts soared to more than $8 billion – insurers paid out $1.42 for every $1 they received in premiums.
read the rest here.
Stix
Wondering why medical insurance is going up?
Have you ever wondered why medical insurance is going up?? Well, here is you answer.
Study of malpractice suits shows 40% without merit
By Alicia Chang
Associated Press
About 40 percent of the medical malpractice cases filed in the United States are groundless, according to a Harvard analysis of the hotly debated issue that pits trial attorneys against doctors, with lawmakers in the middle.
Many of the lawsuits analyzed contained no evidence that a medical error was committed or that the patient suffered any injury, the researchers reported.
The vast majority of those dubious cases were dismissed with no payout to the patient. However, groundless lawsuits still accounted for 15 percent of the money paid out in settlements or verdicts.
The study’s lead researcher, David Studdert of the Harvard School of Public Health, said the findings challenge the view among tort-reform supporters that the legal system is riddled with frivolous claims that lead to exorbitant payouts.
“We found the system did reasonably well in sorting the good claims from the bad ones, but there were problems,” he said.
However, the American Medical Association, which favors caps on malpractice awards, called the study proof that a substantial number of meritless claims continue to slip through the cracks, “clogging the courts” and forcing doctors to waste time defending them, association board member Dr. Cecil Wilson said in a statement.
The findings were published in today’s New England Journal of Medicine.
The study found 3 percent of claims analyzed were filed by patients who had no injury. Of the claims that involved injuries, two-thirds were caused by medical error. But the remaining injury claims, or 37 percent, lacked evidence of a medical mistake, and most of those — 72 percent — were thrown out or otherwise resolved without a payout to the patient.
Altogether, the Harvard researchers reviewed 1,452 malpractice claims randomly selected from five insurance companies. The cases were resolved — meaning they ended in a verdict, a settlement or a dismissal — from 1984 to 2004. The claims resulted in a combined $449 million in verdicts and settlements.
The researchers examined medical records, depositions and court transcripts to determine whether the patients were injured and whether it was because of a medical error.
In one instance, a young woman with no family history of breast cancer underwent routine breast exams for four years and came back with a clean bill of health. But doctors later found she had breast cancer that had spread to other parts of the body.
The researchers determined the case did not involve medical error. The woman filed a malpractice claim and received a settlement.
Chris Mather, a representative of the Association of Trial Lawyers for America, said the study was biased because data was taken from insurers, which sometimes are the defendants in malpractice suits.
The debate over malpractice litigation simmered in Congress this week when Senate Democrats defeated a pair of Republican-backed bills aimed at limiting how much pain-and-suffering damages juries can award in malpractice cases. Similar legislation already passed the House.
George Annas, a Boston University bioethicist, said he was not surprised by the findings. Many personal-injury attorneys get paid only if they win and will not go to court with a baseless lawsuit, Annas said. (source)
H/T to Moobattery
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