Good Tort Reform?
Just days before the New York State Legislature was set to wrap up it’s official session, special interest group NYTortReformNow.org warns Governor Patterson and other members of the Legislature to be wary of lobbyists hired by trial lawyers making a push to block new tort reform regarding certain litigation. Specific bills the group targets as being the “seven deadliest” include those circumventing workers’ compensation, increasing trial lawyers’ fees in medical malpractice cases, and expanding recovery of non-economic damages in wrongful death suits. But can we believe everything we read here, or is this just a deviation of the truth to serve special interests? Senior partner from Trolman, Glaser and Lichtman Jeff Lichtman has a different take on the tort reform:
NYTortReformNow.org twists and misinterprets proposed consumer legislation that is designed to protect New York consumers. The push for new legislation by trial lawyers is meant to give hardworking New Yorkers the opportunity to receive adequate compensation in instances where they are injured by wrongdoers. These efforts are being put forth to give citizens more access to the courthouse.
Any law that would allow protect consumers and citizens of the state needs to be looked at as hard as possible. With so much at stake including the health of the economy and the well being of the citizens, we can’t afford to not take an extremely hard look at all sides of the law.
