Finding out that you have been a victim of medical malpractice is a scary experience. After you get over the initial shock of the discovery, your focus probably turns to getting any condition that resulted from the malpractice corrected. From there, you might decide to seek compensation for your losses and damages caused by the malpractice. For people in Kentucky, the medical malpractice system might be changing.
A debate about changing up the medical malpractice system in the state is being prepared. The General Assembly is being urged to create medical review panels to help combat meritless medical malpractice lawsuits. The president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce states that meritless malpractice lawsuits are impacting health care costs in the state.
The president of AARP Kentucky says that the state should focus on improving the quality of care that the seniors in the state receive.
Exactly how the proposed review panel decisions would be used remains unknown. The House Speaker signaled that he might consider some reasonable review panels for nursing home negligence cases, but he says the findings of the panel shouldn’t be admissible in court. Another lawmaker says that the review panels wouldn’t infringe on the right to pursue lawsuits.
The president of the Kentucky Medical Association says that a panel review process could help to stabilize the malpractice system in the state, which could make the state more attractive to quality physicians.
While the exact way these proposed panels could affect medical malpractice cases in the state remains unseen, patients who have been the victims of medical malpractice may still have the right to seek compensation for their injuries. Speaking with a Kentucky lawyer with experience in medical malpractice lawsuits might help you to determine if you have the right to seek compensation for your case.
Source: The Kansas City Star, “Lawmakers urged to take up malpractice issue” Bruce Schreiner, Jan. 24, 2014
