Pennsylvania surgeons Drs. Amelia Pare and Judy Ross have successfully defended themselves against multiple malpractice suits, but have had to stop or curtail operating on patients because the cost of defending themselves in court has been deemed too high by malpractice insurance carriers.
According to Dr. James A. Goodyear, President of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, 85% of all malpractice cases in that state that go to trial result in a verdict for the plaintiff, an argument that too many cases are proceeding than merited. Pennsylvania requires a certificate of merit for successful prosecution of a case, but this generally does not bar a suit from being filed, especially by a pro se plaintiff, who generally does not need to meet as high a bar as legal professionals in pursuing tort action. Drs. Pare and Ross describe their experience with the tort system in Pennsylvania.
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