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Center for Justice and Democracy
90 Broad Street, Suite 401 New York, New York 10004 www.centerjd.org | centerjd@centerjd.org 212.267.2801 |
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Center for Justice and Democracy
90 Broad Street, Suite 401 New York, New York 10004 www.centerjd.org | centerjd@centerjd.org 212.267.2801 |
"TORT REFORMS" ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
NEW DECISION: Ferdon v. Wisconsin Patients Compensation Fund, 2005 WI 125, July 14, 2005 (Wisc.)($350,000 cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases violates equal protection.)
* Alabama - Lloyd Noland Hosp. v. Durham, WL 32404 (Ala. 2005) (periodic payment scheme for hospitals held liable for over $150,000 in damages violated right to a jury trial under state constitution); Smith v. Schulte, 671 So.2d 1334 (Ala. 1995), (per curium) ($1 million cap in wrongful death cases against health care providers violates of both equal protection and the right to jury trial); Henderson v. Alabama Power Co. (Ala. 1993), 627 So.2d 878 ($250,000 punitive-damage cap violates right to jury trial); Moore v. Mobile Infirmary Assoc. (Ala. 1991) 592 So.2d 156, 158 ($400,000 non-economic damage cap in medical malpractice cases violates jury trial and equal protection guarantees).
* Arizona - Duncan v. Scottsdale Medical Imaging, Ltd. 70 P.3d 435 (2003) (provision of medical malpractice statute that abolished right to bring an action in battery against a licensed health care provider violated anti-abrogation clause of State Constitution); Boswell v. Phoenix Newspapers 730 P.2d 186, 194-95, (Ariz. 1986), cert. denied 481 U.S. 1029 (1987) (retraction in lieu of damages in defamation actions violates state "open courts" provision).
* Florida - Smith v. Dep't of Ins,507 So.2d 1080, 1089-89 (Fla. 1987) (per curium) ($450,000 cap on non-economic damages recoverable in actions for personal injury violates open courts provision).
* Georgia - Denton v. Con-Way Southern Express, Inc. (Ga. 1991), 402 S.E.2d 269 (statute admitting collateral source payments violates right to a remedy); (Overruled by Grissom v. Gleason 418 S.E.2d 27 (1992) but as applied to corporate defendant); McBride v. GM Corp. 737 F. Supp. 1563 (M.D. Ga. 1990) (law that allowed only one punitive award in products liability cases violates Georgia and federal equal protection constitutional guarantees).
* Illinois - Best v. Taylor Machine Works (Ill. 1997), 689 N.E.2d 1057 ($500,000 cap on non-economic damages was a legislative remittitur, in violation of the separation of powers doctrine, and constituted impermissible special legislation as did abolition of joint and several liability and discovery statutes which mandate the unlimited disclosure of plaintiffs' medical information and records); Wright v. Central Du Page Hosp. Ass'n 347 N.E.2d 736 (Ill. 1976), ($500,000 cap unconstitutional as denial of equal protection);
* Indiana – Ledbetter v. Hunter, 810 N.E.2d 1095, 1102 (In. 2004) (statute of limitations as applied to minors unconstitutional under privileges and immunities clause of State Constitution).
* Kansas - Thompson v. KFB Insurance Co., 850 P.2d 773 (Kan. 1993) (allowing jury to consider collateral source benefits when prayer for relief is in excess of $150,000 violates equal protection); Mahomes-Vinson v. U.S. 751 F. Supp. 913 (D. Kan. 1990) ($1,000,000 overall damage cap and $250,000 non-economic damage cap violated jury trial right); Kansas Malpractice Victims Coalition v. Bell, 757 P.2d 251 (Kan. 1988), overruled in part by Bair v. Peck, 811 P.2d 1176 (Kan. 1991) (medical malpractice damage caps violated jury trial and due process rights and constituted preestablished remittitur); Farley v. Engleken, 740 P.2d 1058 (Kan. 1987) (repeal of collateral source rule violates equal protection; Wentling v. Medical Anesthesia Services, P.A. 701 P.2d 939 (Kan. 1985) (same).
* Kentucky - O'Bryan v. Hedgespeth, 892 S.W.2d 571 (Ky. 1995) (statute admitting evidence of collateral source payments in personal injury cases violates separation of powers and exercised judicial powers to set rules of practice).
* Louisiana - Chamberlain v. State, 624 So.2d 874, 988 (La. 1993), superceded by, La. Const. Art. XII, ¤ 10(c)($500,000 ceiling on general damages recoverable in a personal injury suit against State violates right to remedy where sovereign immunity has been waived).
* Michigan - Park v. Detroit Free Press, 72 Mich. 560, 566-67 (Mich. 1888) (retraction as alternative to the non-economic damages claimed in a libel cases violates right to a remedy).
* New Hampshire - Brannigan v. Usitalo 587 A.2d 1232, 1237 (N.H. 1991) ($875,000 limitation on non-economic damages recoverable in actions for personal injury violates equal protection); Carson v. Mauer, 424 A.2d 825, 836-38 (N.H. 1980) (abrogation of collateral source rule and $250,000 non-economic damage cap in medical malpractice cases violate equal protection).
* New Mexico - Richardson v. Carnegie Library Restaurant, Inc., 763 P.2d 1153, 1164 (N.M. 1989) ($50,000 damage cap in dramshop act violates equal protection); Trujillo v. City of Albuquerque 125 N.M. 721, 733 (N.M. 1998) (New Mexico Tort Claims Act’s cap invalidated because it did not serve an important government interest).
* North Dakota - Arneson v. Olson, 270 N.W.2d 125, 135-36 (N.D. 1979) ($300,000 limit on damages recoverable in medical malpractice actions violates state and federal equal protection guarantees).
* Ohio - State ex rel. Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers v. Sheward (Ohio 1999) 86 Ohio St.3d 451 ($250,000 non-economic damages cap, $250,000 punitive damages cap, certificate of merit, modification of the collateral source rule violates separation of powers); Zoppo v. Homestead Ins. Co, 71 Ohio St.3d 552 (caps violate right to jury trial); Morris v. Savoy, 576 N.E.2d 765 (Oh.1991) ($200,000 cap on malpractice general damages struck down on state due process grounds); Jeanne v. Hawkes Hosp. of Mt. Carmel, 598 N.E.2d 1174 (1991) ($200,000 cap on malpractice general damages struck down on equal protection grounds) Duren v. Suburban Community Hosp., 495 N.E.2d 51 (1985) (limit on survivorship claim damages of $200,000 unconstitutional under both State and Federal Constitution).
* Oregon - Lakin v. Senco Products, Inc., 329 Ore. 62 (1999), ($500,000 cap on non-economic damages in personal injury and wrongful death actions violates jury trial right).
* Rhode Island - Maguire v. Licht - 2001 WL 1006060 (R.I.Super.,2001) (Provision allowing defense to introduce collateral source evidence so that jury may reduce plaintiff’s judgment accordingly held unconstitutional).
* South Carolina - Hanvey v. Oconee Memorial Hosp., 416 S.E.2d 623 (S.C. 1992) – statute limiting hospital’s immunity to $100,000 when other charities had $200,000 limit violated equal protection.
* South Dakota - Knowles v. United States (S.D. 1996), 544 N.W.2d 183 ($1 million medical malpractice compensatory damage cap violates substantive due process).
* Texas - Lucas v. United States, 757 S.W.2d 687, 690-92 (Tex.1988) ($500,000 cap for damages in medical malpractice actions violated state’s open courts guarantee); Waggoner v. Presbyterian Medical Center, 647 F. Supp. 1102 (N.D. Tex. 1986) ($500,000 cap on medical malpractice recoveries violates the equal protection clauses of both the State and Federal Constitutions and the open courts guarantee of the State Constitution); Baptist Hosp. of Southeast Texas, Inc. v. Baber, 672 S.W.2d 296 (1984) ($500,000 cap on hospital’s malpractice liability violates equal protection).
* Utah - Condemarin v. University Hosp. (Utah 1989), 775 P.2d 349, 364, 366 ($100,000 medical malpractice liability limit for state hospitals violates jury trial right).
* Washington - Sofie v. Fibreboard Corp. (Wash. 1989), 771 P.2d 711 (cap on non-economic damages for personal injury at a rate of 0.43 times average annual wage and life expectancy violates jury trial guarantee).
* Wisconsin - Ferdon v. Wisconsin Patients Compensation Fund, 2005 WI 125, July 14, 2005 (Wisc.)($350,000 cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases violates equal protection.); Martin v. Richards, 531 N.W.2d 70, 93 (Wis. 1995) (retroactive application of $1 million cap on non-economic damages violates due process).
STATUTES OF REPOSE - State supreme courts have struck down statutes of repose as violative of state constitutional guarantees of due process, equal protection, access to the courts, and/or a complete and certain remedy. See, e.g., Jaramillo v. Heaton, (N.M.App. 2004.), 100 P.3d 204; Hales v. Industrial Comm'n (Utah App. 1993), 854 P.2d 537. Best v. Taylor Machine Works (Ill. 1997), 689 N.E.2d 1057; Hazine v. Montgomery Elevator Co. (Ariz. 1993), 861 P.2d 625; Lee v. Gaufin (Utah 1993), 867 P.2d 572; Perkins v. Northeastern Log Homes (Ky. 1991), 808 S.W.2d 809; McCollum v. Sisters of Charity (Ky. 1990), 799 S.W.2d 15; Sun Valley Water Beds of Utah, Inc. v. Herm Hughes & Son, Inc. (Utah 1989), 782 P.2d 188; Horton v. Goldminer's Daughter (Utah 1989), 785 P.2d 1087; Funk v. Wollin Silo & Equip., Inc. (Wis. 1989), 435 N.W.2d 244; Turner Constr. Co., Inc. v. Scales (Alaska 1988), 752 P.2d 467; Hanson v. Williams County (N.D. 1986), 389 N.W.2d 319; Tabler v. Wallace (Ky. 1985), 704 S.W.2d 179; Zacher v. Budd Co. (S.D. 1986), 396 N.W.2d 122; Berry v. Beech Aircraft Corp. (Utah 1985), 717 P.2d 670; Daugaard v. Baltic Coop. Bldg. Supply Ass'n (S.D. 1984), 349 N.W.2d 419; Nelson v. Krusen (Tex. 1984), 678 S.W.2d 918; Kennedy v. Cumberland Engineering Co., Inc. (R.I. 1984), 471 A.2d 195; Austin v. Litvak (Colo. 1984), 682 P.2d 41; Heath v. Sears, Roebuck & Co. (N.H. 1983), 464 A.2d 288; State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. v. All Electric, Inc. (Nev. 1983), 660 P.2d 995; Jackson v. Mannesmann Demag Corp. (Ala. 1983), 435 So.2d 725; Lankford v. Sullivan, Long & Hagerty (Ala. 1982), 416 So.2d 996; Diamond v. E. R. Squibb & Sons, Inc. (Fla. 1981), 397 So.2d 671.