By Cheryl Casone
May 30, 2009

The President appointed Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee for the Supreme Court post that David Souter is vacating.  Of course the first question in our minds at FBN is how would she rule with regards to antitrust, privacy, worker compensation, and civil rights cases?

The answer it seems thus far is that while she has many glowing recommendations, and her appointment is certainly historic, she would not do much to stop the huge settlements against many American companies.  One of the things I have always wanted to see, and have almost given up on, is tort reform in our system.  I see it in healthcare, tobacco (I don’t smoke, nasty habit, but some judgments were out of control IMO), personal injury, and it’s even affecting New York subways.  There is a great article in the NY Post today about the millions the MTA is paying out to people who slip in the subway, fall down drunk in the subway, and even get so drunk, falling in front of a subway train. They sue, and MTA settles!

But I digress!  One of the things that have driven costs out of control in our healthcare system in particular, has been the massive awards handed out against Doctor’s and hospitals.  I would not want to be a doctor in this day and age.  You are afraid, intimidated, and sometimes unwilling to treat folks or prescribe a certain treatment, because of the wrath of lawsuits (which I am stretching, but I believe is a direct cause of health insurance premiums.)  Feel free to disagree.

Any doctors or lawyers out there who wish to respond? Curious what you think.

Source: Fox Business