Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher praised a bill recently passed by the state General Assembly requiring medical malpractice lawsuits to be filed only in the counties in which causes of action occur, effectively banning the practice of venue shopping.
Fisher urged Gov. Schweiker to sign the bill. “I commend the General Assembly for passing this bill and working toward alleviating the medical malpractice crisis in the Commonwealth,” Fisher said. “I support efforts to find ways to lower insurance costs for doctors and hospitals, ensuring that Pennsylvanians have access to health care services.”
Fisher noted that the General Assembly this summer passed a major lawsuit reform measure that replaced joint and several liability with proportional liability. Under the joint and several liability doctrine, a company found even 1 percent liable could be held 100 percent financially responsible for an action. Fisher said the joint and several liability doctrine hurt health care facilities and resulted in skyrocketing insurance premiums.
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