Number of Medical Malpractice Suits in Pennsylvania Down

The number of medical malpractice lawsuits filed in Pennsylvania declined for a third consecutive year in 2007, according to figures released Monday by the state Supreme Court.

The number of suits, 1,617, represented a 4.5 percent decline from 2006 and a 40.8 percent drop from an annual average of roughly 2,700 malpractice lawsuits filed from 2000 to 2002.

Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille attributed the decline to key changes made several years ago — a court requirement in 2003 that an independent physician or expert certify the viability of a medical malpractice lawsuit and a 2002 law ending the practice of “venue shopping” in which attorneys file cases in the county where a favorable jury verdict is most likely.

Those changes were made to help stabilize premiums in response to doctors’ complaints that spiraling insurance costs were forcing them to leave Pennsylvania.

Latest Comments

• April 16, 2008 at 3:42 am

  Calif Ex Pat says:

  Well, good for them - tort reform works every time it's tried. California has had MICRA in place since 1976 - took awhile but suits were much better focused and loss ratios i... read more
• April 16, 2008 at 1:05 am

  caffiend says:

  This is a good example of how good legislation is supposed to work. With 2 changes the court systems are now working on the cases that may have some merit.