Posted On: March 23, 2005, 2:03 pm CST

Posted By: Roger Mount

Is this not a symptom of allowing Juries to decide on the level of damages? Tort reform should start by taking this aspect out of the hands of the Jury. The Jury should just decide whether the defendant is guilty and/or liable for the injury or damages claimed. The Judge or Justices should calculate the appropiate level of damages based on earnings, suffering and dependants and should, also, decide whether a fine, and how much, should be imposed. This would bring an end to the "lottery" winning awards that fuel the litiguous frenzy that costs businesses and individuals billions. It would, also, slim down the huge army of the legal profession.