Advantages of Tort Reforms to the Medical Community

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The HB4 bill passed by the Texas state legislature addressed issues such as limits on noneconomic damages; product liability reform; punitive damages; medical liability reform joint and several liability; and class action reform. The Texan medical community have greatly benefited from the reforms made to the Judicial System.

It is evident in the following events that took place after the amendments:
• The American Medical Association dropped Texas from its list of states in medical liability crisis (Houston Chronicle, 5/17/05).
• Physician recruitment and retention are up, particularly in high risk specialties whereas the malpractice claims are down (Houston Chronicle, 5/17/05).
• The five largest Texas insurers cut rates, which will save doctors about $50 million, according to the AMA (Houston Chronicle, 5/17/05).
• Texas Medical Liability Trust, the state's largest liability carrier, reduced its premiums by 17 percent (Houston Chronicle, 5/17/05).
• Health Care Indemnity, the state's largest carrier for hospitals, cut rates by 15 percent in 2004 (Associated Press, 2/16/05).
• American Physicians Insurance Exchange and The Doctor's Company also reduced premiums (Associated Press, 2/16/05).
• The American Physicians Insurance Exchange saw a $3.5 million reduction in premiums for Texas physicians in 2005. In addition, beginning May 1, 2005, 2,2000 of the 3,500 physicians insured by the company would see an average drop of 5 percent in their premiums (The Heartland Institute, 5/1/05).

All the above events prove that there has been a positive impact of the Tort Reforms on the Texan economy. Texans for Lawsuit Reforms have been active in tort reforms which make the judicial system, equally fair and balanced to everyone in the society. Founded by Mr. Dick Weekeley, the organization’s objective is to restore litigation to its traditional and appropriate role in our society.

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