Senator Santorum Learns That Medical Mistakes Are Real
For years, Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) has voted to close the courthouse door on Americans seeking to hold medical professionals accountable for the injuries and deaths they cause. Fortunately for Karen Santorum, his wife, he and his fellow tort "reformers" have failed at this endeavor.
In early December, a Fairfax, Virginia, jury awarded Karen Santorum $350,000 for back injuries she said were caused by a chiropractor. Here, as in almost every case involving medical malpractice, America's civil justice system successfully did what it is designed to do -- compensate patients for injuries and related damages caused by negligent or reckless care. |
Karen Santorum's recent courtroom victory logically should moderate the views of her husband, Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) the next time he considers limiting the legal rights of other citizens.
While Sen. Santorum has voted several times to cap damages for plaintiffs – like Mrs. Santorum – his wife filed a $500,000 lawsuit against her former chiropractor. I am sure Sen. Santorum had never envisioned himself in a situation where either he or a member of his family would have occasion to seek justice in a courtroom.
The senator testified that his wife's quality of life has declined since receiving chiropractic treatment three years ago. The jury awarded Mrs. Santorum $350,000, no doubt taking to heart the words of Mrs. Santorum's lawyer: "This is it for us. This is our only opportunity for justice." One can only hope Sen. Santorum also listened.
Capping the damages that citizen juries can award injured consumers like Mrs. Santorum flies in the face of the personal responsibility in which Sen. Santorum says he believes.
Sometimes it is difficult to fully understand a situation until we have experienced it firsthand. I hope Sen. Santorum's encounter with the civil justice system encourages him to consider that system with a new perspective and not to limit justice for others.
It would be disappointing if Sen. Santorum concluded that "Everybody's lawsuit is frivolous except my family's."
Call now for your free legal consultation
1-888-GOODWIN (466-3946)
|
