Government
Missouri panel passes liability bill
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted March 8, 2004
The Missouri House of Representatives Judiciary Committee in February passed a tort reform bill that includes a $400,000 cap on noneconomic damages. The bill also calls for medical malpractice cases to be tried in the counties in which the alleged incidents occurred and affidavits of merit signed by a physician in "substantially the same profession and specialty as the defendant" be filed within 90 days of the lawsuit.
Missouri is one of 19 states listed by the American Medical Association as being in a liability crisis.
At press time, the full House had not set a date for a vote. The Missouri Senate has a tort reform bill pending.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/03/08/gvbf0308.htm.