Letter writer Steve Soule asked the question, “Why should good doctors stay here?” and stated that “we are losing doctors by the score because they can no longer afford to practice medicine in this state.” He is under the impression that “this is happening because of all the frivolous lawsuits being filed.” He goes on to say that we need to enact some new laws to protect these doctors.
I agree there is a problem. I disagree with his solution. Unfortunately, I have more than a nodding acquaintance with both the medical community and lawsuits for personal injury. These are some things I know for sure: While the great majority of doctors in our state are of very high quality and provide excellent care to their patients, there are enough bad apples to spoil the bunch. These bad apples are the only reason malpractice insurance is out of sight. Malpractice and personal injury lawsuits are simply impossible to win in our courts without a gigantic mountain of proof of the legitimacy of the claim by the plaintiff. Attorneys who represent the plaintiff take the cases on a contingency basis; they get paid only if the case is decided in favor of the plaintiff. They are not at all inclined to take frivolous cases to court for an obvious reason; they will fail to win.
The only answer to the problem Mr. Soule brings up is a system where by doctors could and would truly police their own profession and get rid of the doctors who are indeed “malpracticing.” These bad apples, not frivolous lawsuits, are the driving cause of outrageous insurance premiums and our subsequent loss of good doctors.
Priscilla Benfield
Marysville
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