Miss. Governor Signs Med Mal Bill

The Mississippi Governor’s Office announced that Governor Ronnie Musgrove signed medical malpractice reforms into law in a ceremony held at the state capital. The bill becomes effective January 1, 2003.

Musgrove had called the Legislature into a special session on September 5 to address the issue.

“Today, Mississippi’s health care crisis has been addressed,” Musgrove said. “The people of our state need to know their doctors will be there to provide care for them, and that assurance has been given.”

Musgrove spoke to the need for medical malpractice reform in May and announced he would call a special session later in the year. A joint legislative committee held hearings around the state over the summer prior to Musgrove’s September 5 call.

According to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, the Mississippi State Medical Association applauded the governor and legislators for creating the law, which is designed to stabilize insurance rates for doctors.

Trial lawyers, however, objected to the new law claiming it will do nothing to lower insurance rates.

Under the new legislation, pain and suffering awards are limited to $500,000 until 2011, when the cap rises to $750,000. It increases again in 2017 to $1 million. The law placed limits on where lawsuits can be filed and modifies joint and several liability, which concerns the handling of financial responsibility among multiple defendants.