Personal Injury Roundup No. 33 (4/24/09)

As the semester winds down, tort law rolls on...

Reform, Legislation, Policy

• Nevada Supreme Court, citing a large backlog, arranges for retired judges to help settle med mal cases.  (Las Vegas Business Press)
• Provisions of a Colorado bill that would have eased caps on med mal damages are removed.  (Denver Business Journal) 
• Nevada Assembly passes bill that would lift the cap for non-economic damages in med mal cases for gross negligence.  (Las Vegas Sun)
• Public Citizen releases report ranking how state medical boards discipline physicians.  (Public Citizen, via The Pop Tort)
• Tennessee bill to cap damages in nursing home cases appears dead.  (The Pop Tort)

Trials, Settlements & Other Ends

• Trial judge upholds $416,500 jury award to former model in med mal case against her former doctor, who was treating her for depression when the two engaged in a sexual relationship.  The jury found plaintiff-former model to be 25% at fault.  (New York Law Journal, Newsday)
• Libel suit against Sasha Baron Cohen and Da Ali G Show dismissed. (The AmLaw Daily)

Appeals    

• Can podiatrists testify about causation for foot injuries?  The Virginia Supreme Court decided to hear the appeal this week.  (VLW Blog)

Miscellaneous

• Beck & Hermann thoroughly analyze the trend in PA law regarding the divide between negligence and strict liability.  (Drug & Device Law)

Thanks to Sheila for content this week. 

--CJR