Tort Reform: Myth v. Reality

From the Philadelphia Inquirer: "The Hype Over Tort Reform"--

Republican leaders are focused on heavy-handed steps - from a proposed $250,000 cap on pain and suffering damage awards, to federalizing all class-action lawsuits.

At worst, these measures could deny court access to citizens with legitimate cases. At best, they'd have minimal impact on doctors' insurance premiums and health-care costs. By Congressional Budget Office reckoning, lawsuits are one of the smallest factors driving rising health costs - at less than 2 percent.

Shifting most class-action lawsuits from state to federal courts makes no sense, and is opposed by the nation's top judges. Sending these cases - whether consumer, environmental, civil rights - to overburdened federal courts risks delaying or quashing legitimate claims.