Two changes to PA’s medical malpractice laws in 2003 have had a major impact on the number of lawsuits, and where they are filed in Pennsylvania and where they are filed, according to an article in The Daily Item newspaper in Sunbury, Pa.
In 2003, the state Supreme Court ruled potential plaintiffs have to obtain a certificate of merit by a medical professional. Since 2003, medical malpractice lawsuits in the state have dropped by 39%. However, a second change by the Supreme Court resulted in a 60% increase in malpractice lawsuit filings in the Columbia-Montour judicial district. In 2003, the state Supreme Court required medical malpractice actions to be brought only in the county where the alleged mistake took place, and the Columbia-Montour judicial district is home to a large medical center and hospital. The court ruling was designed to eliminate “venue-shopping,” the process by which attorneys would try to have cases heard in areas where jurors might be more sympathetic.
