Letter: Act now to keep area physicians from departing

Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002 | 8:46 a.m.

Nevada has a major medical malpractice insurance problem. California had the same problem well over a decade ago. California passed tort reform laws that stopped the problem so that doctors would not leave the state or quit working. Where has the Nevada Legislature been all of these years? Why has the state Legislature been more concerned with naming state dirt, adding multiple license plate designs, and adding fees that disguise that they are really hidden taxes? Why are important issues left lying around, while stupid laws are passed? Why do we pay these people to be legislators?

No, I do not believe that the complete fault lies with the Nevada Legislature. A large fault lies with juries that award ridiculous sums of money in malpractice and other cases. The jurors have no idea what they are doing or what they are supposed to do. Most of them are uneducated in the law. Most of them vote with their feelings instead of logic and thought. Most jurors have no business being on a jury.

We not only need tort reform before we lose most of our doctors, but we also need jury reform. All of this needs to be done now before the people who live in Nevada find themselves without any medical care. All of this needs to be done now before more jurors vote ridiculous awards.

ROBERT DUBIN