Long ignored tort reform now re-emerging on Legislative agenda

Legal News Line has a great story about tort reform emerging in the Legislature:

“Efforts to retool Oregon’s tort laws should not be jettisoned because of the state’s mounting fiscal woes, a state Senate leader told Legal Newsline. “While the budget will be a major focus of this session, policy committees will have plenty of time to address pressing issues like tort reform,” said Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day…Ferrioli said since members of the Ways and Means committees deal with budget issues, policy panels are able to address other matters, such as legal reform, which proponents say would ultimately help boost the state’s beleaguered economy… State lawmakers said the need to tackle medical malpractice liability came after a 2007 state Supreme Court ruling that found while public institutions are protected by a liability cap, the protection does not extend to their employees. Since another state law requires public agencies to pay damages won against their employees, the high court’s decision effectively eliminated Oregon’s tort liability cap of $200,000 in malpractice cases where the state is involved.”

Read the whole article here.