On N.C. House Bill 542

The folks at the Bronx Zoo found their snake.  But she has sisters in Raleigh.

WRAL reports that a public hearing was held today on N.C. House bill 542 . . . a "tort reform" bill designed by Republicans to make North Carolina more "business friendly".

The state Chamber-of-Commerce is behind it, so you KNOW it's got to be dirty.

And never mind that, under Democrats, North Carolina has been on-her-back-with-her-skirts-up for business for years.  Businesses in this state - particularly hospitals - particularly non-profits - have long been able to mow over individuals - and plunder community resources - in order to to serve their economic "best interests". 

My thirteen-year experience as a medical whistle-blower hosed more than proves that.  The law has failed me at almost every juncture.

I'm all for comprehensive medical liability reform - but this bill ain't it.  While I am loathe to agree with trial-lawyers, it is filled with "quick-fixes" born of sound bites that don't really fix anything - and most certainly do not consider the ordinary individual citizen-injured-or-done-wrong at the mercy of an already heavily-stacked-against-the-plaintiff legal system.

And excuse me, on what PLANET is it okay to divert 75% of a hard-won punitive award AWAY from the victim who won it - and towards a state fund (for what I'm not sure) that will most certainly be mis-managed and plundered by kleptocrats?

Dr. John Faulkner, of Henderson . . . who successfully sued the Medical Board a few years back (and whose legal tactics - or at least a variation thereof - may ultimately prove useful to me). . . was at the hearing:

Henderson said he's been both a defendant and a plaintiff in the courtroom. Nearly a decade ago, he sued a hospital and the doctors performing surgery on his wife after oxygen ignited in the operating room, severely burning her face and upper body.

The case was settled after a three-year legal fight, but he said a $250,000 cap on malpractice awards wouldn't have even paid the family's legal fees.

"What helped our family through this time was the belief" in a fair justice system, Faulkner said.

"This bill harms patients. It's not in patients' best interest. You just have to look to see who this bill really favors."

Alas, Dr. Faulkner, I can tell you from sad experience that THE VERY LAST THING the state of North Carolina cares about is keeping patients who may be place in harm's way (or the doctors who advocate for them) safe.

That, and, my family has not been given cause to have the faith in our justice system that yours has.

OBTW, if you see him, give my regards to Harold Brubaker.  We in Asheboro know all about what he's about and who he favors.