Bertuzzi on Reform

Corpus Christi Caller-Times
March 15, 2010
Letter: Most want reforms

Some may not remember what it was like in our state before the current lawsuit reforms were put in place. Texas was called “the lawsuit capital of the world.” Businesses would not open up shop here and doctors were leaving the state or retiring early because of the high cost of medical liability insurance. Today other states and national health care reformers are looking at Texas tort reforms as a model.

Medical liability insurance rates have dropped by 50 percent in some places and more than 16,000 doctors have applied for licenses since the reforms were passed in 2003. High-risk doctors are now practicing in areas — including Corpus Christi — where they were not before. The Texas economy has been declared the strongest in the nation by virtually every nonpartisan evaluator. All agree that tort reform is a strong factor in job growth, business expansion, productivity and product innovation.

The most recent polls indicated that majorities in both political parties in Texas support the lawsuit reforms and that more than half of all Texans want more reforms. In fact, the only people who oppose tort reform are personal injury trial lawyers who want to increase their business and create more opportunities to sue.

Michael A. Bertuzzi, Nueces County Republican Party Chairman