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Social Security Article
"Personal injury lawsuits preserve public health and maintains safety"
April 20, 2004
Every year, an estimated 90,000 Americans die because of an unintentional injury. Personal injury lawyers exist to provide relief for injury or harm suffered because of civil wrongs and to dissuade others from committing the same injurious actions. Campaigns to limit payouts on personal injury claims have been sought over the years by some politicians and corporate lobbyists in order to end “frivolous lawsuits”, most recently in the area of medical malpractices. According to many, the American reputation as being highly litigious has unfairly allowed for the passing of some bills limiting awards on certain personal injury lawsuits.
Tens of thousands of people die every year in the U.S. because of preventable medical errors, but still physicians and large insurance companies have been actively pushing to further limit consumer rights by lobbying for personal injury caps. Classifying states to be in a “crisis” condition, Public Citizen consumer group has repeatedly released reports refuting the claims that spikes in medical malpractice insurance rates are in response to unmeritorious personal injury lawsuits and large jury awards.
A December 2003 Newsweek cover story entitled “Lawsuit Hell” stirred up the controversy surrounding personal injury lawsuits. Public Citizen responded by writing a letter to Newsweek's editor stating, “Your reporters and editors apparently have bought into the myths created by a well-funded, highly orchestrated campaign by corporate American to denigrate the civil justice system- virtually the only venue in our democracy where people without money or political power can seek justice for their grievances.” The consumer group requested a meeting with the editors and reporters involved to discuss the way the cover story was put together.
Tort law requires the responsible party to compensate any injuries that have occurred and allows for maintaining public health and safety for everybody. The ability for consumers to file personal injury lawsuits in an accessible civil justice system protects individuals and places liability to the party or parties that are in a position to prevent similar events in the future.
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