For many aspiring medical students at New Jersey’s institutions, the dream of practicing specialized medicine faces significant financial hurdles.  In addition to a high cost of living and student loans, young doctors must also be prepared to absorb the cost of malpractice insurance premiums.  And specialties which carry the highest premiums tend to disproportionately impact women, as New Jersey’s OBGYNs face some of the highest rates in the nation.  NJLRA spoke to one such casualty of the system a few months back, a medical student who had invested well over one hundred thousand dollars into his education and had lived in New Jersey his entire life.   He sadly realized that he would not be able to afford to practice obstetrics – his lifelong dream – unless he did so in another state with lower premiums. 

(TRENTON) –  The co-chairs of the bipartisan, bicameral Women’s Legislative Caucus today issued the following statement after more than three hours of illuminating testimony into the growing lack of access to women’s healthcare services and the possible contributing factors:

“The information we found out today was disturbing, enlightening, and most importantly, a call to action.  Within the next 10 years, New Jersey will be facing an alarming shortage of physicians, particularly in fields such as obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics, which disproportionately impact women and their families.

A-1982 concerns liability, standards of care, and insurance coverage for medical malpractice actions.  Among other things, A-1982 would: 

• Require that a provider had a relationship with a patient filing suit;
• Prevent insurance carriers from raising malpractice premiums based on a claim of medical malpractice, unless the physician is found liable in court;
• Require that physicians and healthcare professionals providing "expert testimony" be licensed in New Jersey;
• Narrow the window for filing suit to not more than four years after the date of the alleged incident occurred; and
• Protect volunteer physicians acting in good faith from civil liability.

A-1982 will be posted for discussion only, so be sure to tell your legislators to support A-1982/S-760.

SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - New Jersey and New York are the two states with the highest combination of tort costs and risk, according to a study published by free-market think tank Pacific Research Institute.

CHATHAM -- The School District of the Chathams is suing its former attorneys for malpractice, alleging the firm cost the schools in excess of $1.5 million when it mishandled a 2005 dispute with a contractor.

According to a lawsuit filed last week in Superior Court in Morris County, Attorney Nuris E. Portuondo with the Morristown-based law firm of Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein, Celso & Zitomer failed to file documents on time that would have tipped the lawsuit in the district’s favor.

On May 20^th, the General Assembly passed both A-1064, which eliminates the awarding of attorney’s fees for technical violations of the consumer fraud act, and A-1585, which protects volunteer physicians from civil liability.   A-1585, sponsored by Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-Essex), passed unanimously (77-0) while A-1064, sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), passed by a vote of 76 - 2.

A1064, which eliminates the awarding of attorneys' fees, filing fees and costs of suit for a technical violation of the consumer fraud act. 

A1585, which clarifies immunity from civil liability for volunteers affiliated with Citizen Corps under certain circumstances. 

Nominee faces tough fight amid political feud

New Jersey’s medical schools might consider giving away bridge fare with their diplomas, since increasing numbers of new doctors are leaving the state after finishing their residencies, according to a survey by the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals.

A-1064, sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, eliminates award of attorneys' [...]