Controlling for inflation, there was no real increase in medical malpractice claims in Florida over the period 1990 to 2003, according to a study funded by Duke University.
Controversy continues over recent rises in med mal insurance premiums and whether they show the need for tort reform or management of the insurance cycle. "There are two arguments about the cause--one is that the number of claims went up and the other is the insurance industry's business cycle," Neil Vidmar, co-author of the study and a law professor at Duke University was quoted in a Insurance Journal article published April 5, 2005. "We say one of the alleged causes is not the cause--so you're left to fall back on the other alleged cause."
"Uncovering the 'Invisible' Profile of Medical Malpractice Litigation: Insights from Florida," was done by Vidmar and Dr. Paul Lee, an M.D./J.D. and professor at Duke. It will be published soon in the DePaul Law Review, according to the Journal.
Based on Fla. Population Growth, Duke Research Calls Med-Mal Claims Stable
Posted by dougsimpson at April 7, 2005 05:17 PM