skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Bill Would Change CO Malpractice Handling

play audio
Play

Monday, March 10, 2008   

Denver, CO - Injuries from medical malpractice can sometimes last a lifetime, and Colorado has one of the tightest caps in the West on the amount of damages malpractice victims can receive when they sue for physical impairment and/or disfigurement. Denver attorney Natalie Brown says the caps were imposed to fix a problem that doesn't exist.

"Juries in Colorado are never told about the caps and despite that, we don't have these runaway, crazy jury verdicts that you hear about."

Senate Bill 164 would raise the cap on "non-economic damages" and allow victims to receive larger financial settlements for justified claims of impairment and disfigurement. Opponents argue it would raise overall health care costs and malpractice insurance premiums, but Brown explains there's a wealth of data that shows caps on damage amounts do nothing to reduce health care and insurance costs.

"Those are, frankly, myths to try and scare the people of this state. Nobody knows when they're going to become a member of the 'victims' club.'"

Brown worries the current caps and other limitations often mean victims are not awarded enough to preserve their quality of life.

"People have to take the money they receive from settlements due to pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life and use it to pay for rent, food, transportation and other basic necessities."

The bill is currently working its way through the Colorado General Assembly.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

The American Heart Association said caregivers often experience personal and spiritual growth, discovering their own resilience, competence and capacity for sacrifice as they help a friend or loved one. (Justlight/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Self-Care Awareness Month and the American Heart Association in Missouri is urging caregivers to take some much-needed time for themselve…

Environment

play sound

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021