Letter: How to regulate small claims
Thursday, March 13, 2003 | 8:49 a.m.
I have read about the problem facing the medical profession in Nevada. The cost of malpractice insurance costs has gone through the roof and is causing doctors to either leave the profession or move out of state.
The doctors blame the insurance companies and the insurance companies blame the lawyers.
Everyone remembers the high payments to victims and points to that as the reason. Lawyers usually get one-third and the victim the remainder.
No one talks about all the small claims the lawyers send to insurance companies. The lawyers know the threshold level the insurance company will pay because it is cheaper than going to court.
If one were to add up all these small claims they would be astonished how large the amount was. Remember the lawyer gets one-third.
At one time (20 years ago) I knew the threshold for insurance companies was about $3,900. That meant the lawyer received $1,300 for doing practically nothing. They could make a good living by only getting two per week. I have a solution.
Pass a law that says the lawyer only gets 10 percent of the settlement if there is no trial.
On the other end, if a doctor is found guilty of negligence, his license is suspended for one year and the record is public knowledge. Doctors do a poor job of regulating themselves and this would be a way of weeding out the poor-quality doctors.
Finally, so that the victims get a reasonable share, the court decides the value of the legal fees above the actual cost of the trial.
LOU DE BOTTARI Carson City
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Binion’s to close all 365 rooms, lay off 100 workers
- Ex-NBA star to pay $12,835 monthly in gambling debt case
- “Last Call!”: Two words you wouldn’t expect to hear on The Strip
- Slot makers team up at behest of CityCenter
- Report: 70 percent of homeowners underwater
- Scuffle in pub parking lot leads to attorney’s arrest
- What reactions to Palin, Stewart say about society
- Now, Rebels must build on big Louisville win
- Nevada leads nation in rate of bankruptcy filings
- LV budget numbers foretell many layoffs
Blogs
The Kats Report
Planet Hollywood's Thomas McCartney headed for Tropicana (13 Comments)
Elsewhere
LV woman robs Kentucky strip club, police say (4 Comments)
Las Vegas Sands' Hong Kong IPO flops (3 Comments)
The Kats Report
Monday List: Top 13 Moments and Observations From Thanksgiving Weekend (4 Comments)
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Tarkanian: Reid is liberal, out of touch, rude, poisonously partisan and a know-it-all (20 Comments)
The Kats Report
Barry Manilow off to Paris: Two-year deal starts March 5 at Le Theatre des Arts (12 Comments)
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Ensign survives radio interview with no follow-ups; partial transcript below (11 Comments)
Calendar »
- 1 Tue
- 2 Wed
- 3 Thu
- 4 Fri
- 5 Sat
-
Grand opening of Vdara
Vdara | 10 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Dik Richie at Moon
Moon Nightclub | 10:30 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
A Night to Honor Israel at the Cashman Theatre
Cashman Convention Center | 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
-
Ladies night at Feelgoods
Feelgoods
-
Sin City Sinners at VooDoo Lounge
VooDoo Steak & Lounge
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati






