Less Malpractice Suits in Texas, Smaller Amounts Paid Out

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Ten years after a Texas law capped damages in medical malpractice lawsuits, the number of suits and the amounts paid out have fallen sharply.
The Austin American Statesman reported http://bit.ly/15rYYMk Sunday that some are cheering and others despise so-called "tort reform." But its effects are unmistakable.

The Texas Department of Insurance reports that medical malpractice claims, including lawsuits, resolved in a year fell by nearly two-thirds between 2003 and 2011 to 450 — 2011 is the most-recent year data is available.

Meanwhile, the average payout fell 22 percent to about $199,000.

Supporters say doctors worry less about being sued and have seen their malpractice insurance premiums fall.

Opponents counter that tort reform has barred many injured by doctors from going to court, or relatives suing after losing a loved one.

Information from: Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com