Posts Tagged ‘tobacco’

Archived medical items, pre-July 2003

Texas’s giant legal reform“, Jun. 18-19, 2003.

Malpractice suit crisis, 2003:Letter to the editor“, Jun. 20-22; “Docs leaving their hometowns“, Jun. 12-15; “Juggling the stats“, Jun. 4-5; “Malpractice studies“, May 12; “Public Citizen’s bogus numbers“, Apr. 10-13; “Malpractice crisis hits sports-team docs” (& general roundup), Apr. 7-8; “Would you go into medicine again?“, Mar. 18; “‘Public deceit protects lawsuit abuse’“, Mar. 15-16; “One solution to the malpractice crunch“, Feb. 19; “Feinstein set to back Bush malpractice plan“, Feb. 12; “State of the Union“, Jan. 29; “Malpractice-cost trends“, Jan. 24-26; “ATLA’s hidden influence“, Jan. 21-22; “Playing chicken on malpractice reform“, Jan. 9; “‘Doctors strike over malpractice costs’” (W.Va., Pa.), Jan. 3-6.  2002:Campaign roundup“, Nov. 4-5; “Pennsylvania House votes to curb venue-shopping“, Oct. 11-13; “Rumblings in Mississippi“, Oct. 9-10 (& Sept. 9-10); “Let ’em become CPAs“, Oct. 7-8; “Tour of the blogs“, Sept. 24; “You mean I’m suing that nice doctor?“, Aug. 1; “‘Bush urges malpractice damage limits’“, Jul. 29; “‘Trauma center reopens doors’“, Jul. 18; “Malpractice crisis latest” (Pa., Tex.), Jun. 11-12; “Sick in Mississippi?  Keep driving“, Jun. 3-4 (& Apr. 5-7); “‘Rocketing liability rates squeeze medical schools’“, May 28-29; “‘The trials of John Edwards’“, May 20-21; “Ob/gyns warn of withdrawal“, May 17-19; “‘The Tort Mess’” (Forbes, etc.), May 13; “Texas doctors’ work stoppage“, Apr. 11 (& Mar. 15-17); “No more ANZAC Day marches?” (Australia), Apr. 1-2; “Scenes from a malpractice crisis“, Mar. 5; “Med-mal: should doctors strike?“, Jan. 21-22.  2001:  “Soaring medical malpractice awards: now they tell us“, Sept. 11; “‘Valley doctors caught in “lawsuit war zone”‘“, May 3; “Pennsylvania MDs drop work today“, Apr. 24; “Philadelphia juries pummel doctors“, Jan. 24-25.  2000:Trial lawyers’ clout in Albany“, Oct. 4; “Malpractice outlays on rise in Canada“, Oct. 2. 

Ob/gyn, 2003:Juggling the stats“, Jun. 4-5; “Malpractice studies“, May 12; “‘Edwards doesn’t tell whole story’“, Mar. 4 (& letter to the editor, Mar. 31); “‘Delivering Justice’“, Feb. 27.  2002:Ob/gyns warn of withdrawal“, May 17-19 (& see Jun. 11-12); “‘Support case hinges on failed sterilization’” (Ind.), Apr. 26-28; “Med-mal: should doctors strike?“, Jan. 21-22.  2001:Fleeing obstetrics, again“, Dec. 21-23; “‘Wrongful life’ comes to France“, Dec. 11 (& updates Jan. 9-10, May 20-21, Jul. 1-2, 2002); “Meet the ‘wrongful-birth’ bar“, Aug. 22-23 (& letter to the editor, Sept. 3; more on wrongful birth/life: Nov. 22-23, Sept. 8-10, June 8, May 9, Jan. 8-9, 2000); “Pennsylvania MDs drop work today“, April 24; “Caesarean rate headed back up“, Feb. 5.  2000:Birth cameras not wanted“, Oct. 18; “Plastic surgeons must weigh patients’ state of mind, court says” (roundup: anti-abortion suits), Aug. 15.  1999:‘Trial lawyers on trial’” (Norplant, etc.), Dec. 23-26; “‘Your perfect birth control…blocked?’“, Aug. 11 (Norplant) (& update Aug. 27; company to settle 36,000 suits); “Yes, this drug is missed” (hospital admissions for hyperemesis tripled after lawyers drove Bendectin off market), Jul. 21. 

Malpractice studies“, May 12, 2003; “Radiologists: sue them enough and they’ll go away“, Nov. 2, 2000 (& see Sept. 24, 2002).

Nursing homes, geriatrics, 2003:Florida: ‘New clout of trial lawyers unnerves legislators’“, Mar. 20; “$12,000 a bed“, Mar. 19.  2001:Soaring medical malpractice awards: now they tell us“, Sept. 11; “‘Doctor liable for not giving enough pain medicine’“, Jun. 15-17; “‘Nursing homes a gold mine for lawyers’“, Mar. 13-14.  2000:‘Litigation grows in ailing nursing home industry’“, Jun. 20 (& see Mar. 2-4, 2001). 

Incoming link of the day“, Mar. 5-7, 2003.

Emergency medicine:‘Trauma centers warn lives could be at risk’” (Orlando), Feb. 28-Mar. 2, 2003; “Ambulances, paramedics sued more“, Oct. 28-29, 2002; “Let ’em become CPAs“, Oct. 7-8; “Avoid having a medical emergency in Mississippi“, Apr. 5-7; “Scenes from a malpractice crisis” (closure of trauma centers), Mar. 5, 2002  (& see Jun. 11-12); “That’ll teach ’em” (Chicago EMS), Dec. 26-28, 2000; “Highway responsibility” (ambulance, hospital sued in Derrick Thomas crash), Nov. 28, 2000. 

The jury pool he faced“, Feb. 25, 2003.

Take care of myself?  That’s the doc’s job“, Feb. 14-16, 2003; “Claim: docs should have done more to help woman quit smoking and lose weight” (Pa.), Sept. 18-19, 2002.

“Medical mistakes” estimates, 2001:  “Report: ‘medical errors’ study overblown“, July 27-29.  2000:‘Report on medical errors called erroneous’“, July 11; “Medical mistakes, continued“, March 7; “‘Medical errors’ study“, Feb. 28; “Against medical advice” (Clinton proposals), Feb. 22 (& see malpractice law section below). 

Mercury in dental fillings“, Jul. 16-17, 2002 (& Nov. 4-5, 2002). 

Psychiatry and allied fields, 2002:‘Mom who drugged kids’ ice cream sues’“, Nov. 1-3; “‘Patient sues hospital for letting him out on night he killed’” (Australia, psychiatric case), Oct. 16-17; “‘After stabbing son, mom sues doctors’“, May 31-June 2; “Counseling center may face closure” (Okla.), May 24-26.  2000:Killed his mother, now suing his psychiatrists“, Oct. 2; “Not my fault, I” (woman who murdered daughter sues psychiatrists), May 17; “Legal ethics meet medical ethics” (lawyers advise schizophrenic murder defendant to go off his medication for trial), Feb. 26-27 (update, Mar. 2: he’s reported to have punched a social worker twice since going off medication; Mar. 29: jury convicts him anyway); “Latest excuse syndromes” (“Internet intoxication”, etc.), Jan. 13-14; “Warn and be sued” (clinical psychologist loses confidentiality suit after warning of patient’s dangerousness), Jan. 12.  1999:Doctor sues insurer, claims sex addiction“, Oct. 13; see also personal responsibility

Artificial hearts experimental? Who knew?“, Oct. 23, 2002.

U.K.: ‘Dr. Botch’ sues hospital for wrongful dismissal“, Oct. 18-20, 2002; “Let them sue us!” (hospitals get sued if they withdraw privileges from questionable doctors), Mar. 23, 2000. 

Lawyers fret about bad image” (lawyers’ own poll finds public has much more confidence in doctors than in lawyers), Oct. 3, 2002.

‘Patient pays price for suing over cold’” (U.K.), Sept. 20-22, 2002.

‘Doctors hope fines will curb frivolous lawsuits’“, Sept. 6-8, 2002; “The doctor strikes back” (neurosurgeon countersues), June 14-15, 2000; “‘Truly egregious’ conduct” (court cites misconduct by attorney Geoffrey Fieger in suit against cardiologist), Sept. 14, 1999. 

“Accident medicine”, 2002:‘How to spot a personal injury mill’“, Aug. 19.  2001:Lawyers (and docs) block cleanup of Gotham crash fraud“, April 2.  2000:‘How do you fit 12 people in a 1983 Honda?’“, Aug. 23-25; “His wayward clients“, May 25; “Less suing = less suffering” (NEJM whiplash study), Apr. 24 (& update Jun. 26). 

‘The NFL vs. Everyone’” (medical privacy laws could restrict sports teams from commenting on players’ injuries), Jun. 13, 2002; “Promising areas for suits” (sports medicine), Dec. 7, 2000; “Doctor cleared in Lewis cardiac case“, May 15, 2000. 

‘Remove child before folding’” (AEI-Brookings study on defensive medicine), Jun. 5, 2002. 

Managed care/HMOs, 2002:‘Bad movie, bad public policy’” (John Q), Mar. 19; “Washington Post blasts HMO class actions“, Jan. 30-31.  2001:Managed care bill: Do as we say…“, Sept. 7-9 (& Dec. 6, 1999); “Contrarian view on PBR“, Aug. 17-19; “Chapman, Broder, Kinsley on patients’ rights“, June 28; “Managed care debate“, June 26; “Columnist-fest” (Morton Kondracke), June 22-24; “Docs and Dems“, June 19; “Roundup“, May 21.  2000:Patients’ Bill of Wrongs” (Richard Epstein), Oct. 27-29; “Fortune on Lerach“, Aug. 16-17; “Arm yourself for managed care debate“, April 20; “Employer-based health coverage in retreat?“, March 31-April 2.  1999: Weekend reading: columnist-fest” (John McCarron), Dec. 11-12; “Actions without class” (Wash. Post editorial: “extortion racket”), Dec. 2; “Who’s afraid of Dickie Scruggs?“, Dec. 2; “Aetna chairman disrespects Scruggs“, Nov. 18-19; “World according to Ron Motley” (world’s richest lawyer plans to sue HMOs, nursing homes, drugmakers), Nov. 1; “Deal with us or we’ll tank your stock” (managed care stock prices plunge), Oct. 21; “‘Health care horror stories are compelling but one-sided’“, Oct. 16-17; “After the HMO barbecue“, Oct. 12; “Power attracts power” (Boies joins anti-HMO effort), Sept. 30; “Impending assault on HMOs“,  Sept. 30; “Rude questions to ask your doctor” (why are you helping trial lawyers make it easier to sue health plans?), Sept. 4-6; From the fourth branch, an ultimatum” (leading trial lawyer vows to “dismantle” managed care), July 16

Hospital rapist sues hospital“, May 22-23, 2002 (& Mar. 5-7, 2003: court dismisses case). 

Bush’s big mistake on mental health coverage“, May 13, 2002. 

‘Big government ruined my long weekend’” (tide-over weekend prescribing), May 7, 2002. 

Lawyers stage sham trial aimed at inculpating third party“, Mar. 22-24, 2002. 

All things sentimental and recoverable” (veterinarians), Jan. 30-31, 2002. 

Public health follies:Infectious disease conquered, CDC now chases sprawl“, Nov. 9-11, 2001; “Letter to the editor” (activist doctors vs. gun ownership), May 18, 2001; “‘P.C., M.D.’“, Feb. 23-25, 2001. 

Bioterrorism preparedness” (laws hobble hospitals), Oct. 30, 2001. 

Letter to the editor“, Sept. 3, 2001 (can/should doctors avoid lawyers as patients?) (responses, Oct. 22). 

Clinical trials besieged“, Aug. 27-28, 2001; “Bioethicist as defendant” (Arthur Caplan, Jesse Gelsinger case), Oct. 6-9, 2000. 

‘Doctor liable for not giving enough pain medicine’“, Jun. 15-17, 2001. 

The unconflicted Prof. Daynard” (British Medical Journal and tobacco lawyer), April 21-23, 2000 (& update: letters, Jan. 2001, June 2001). 

To destroy a doctor” (lawyer’s campaign against laparoscopic surgeons), June 6, 2001. 

Mommy, can I grow up to be an informant?“, July 30, 2001; “A case of meta-False Claims” (overzealous prosecution of hospitals), Sept. 9, 1999. 

Updates” (Lawyers’ cameras in trauma ward), Dec. 26-28, 2000 (& Oct. 18). 

Promising areas for suits” (laser eye surgery), Dec. 7, 2000. 

Plastic surgery:Plastic surgeons must weigh patients’ state of mind, court says“, Aug. 15, 2000 (& June 11, 2001: she loses); “Strippers in court“, Jan. 28, 2000; “No spotlight on me, thanks” (leading breast-implant lawyer obtains gag order against lawyers for dissatisfied clients), August 4, 1999; “Never saying you’re sorry” (implants), July 2, 1999. 

Turn of the screw” (pedicle screw lawsuits), Oct. 24, 2000. 

Disabled rights roundup” (obligatory sign interpreters at doctor’s offices), Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2000; “From our mail sack: ADA enforcement vignettes” (interpreters, guide dog allergy case), May 31, 2000. 

Embarrassing Lawsuit Hall of Fame” (intimate injury; misdiagnosis charge), Aug. 14, 2000. 

Senator Lieberman: a sampler” (cost of defensive medicine), Aug. 8-9, 2000. 

And don’t say ‘I’m sorry’” (nurse’s first-person account), June 21, 2000. 

Can’t sue over affair with doctor” (court rules it was consensual), June 13, 2000. 

Jumped ahead, by court order” (residency), May 31, 2000.

‘Case’s outcome may spur more lawsuits’” (Mississippi fen-phen trial), Dec. 10, 1999; “‘Dieters still want fen-phen’“, August 18, 1999. 

Rhode Island A.G.: let’s do latex gloves next“, Oct. 26, 1999. 

Michigan high court upholds malpractice reform“, August 6, 1999. 


Other resources on medicine and litigation:

Good general links pages on health law are provided by the St. Louis University Center for Health Law Studies and by the whimsically named but highly useful Health Hippo

The Litigation Explosion, the 1991 book by Overlawyered.com editor Walter Olson, was excerpted in two parts by Medical Economics [part one] [part two

Marc Arkin, “Products Liability and the Threat to Contraception” (Manhattan Institute Civil Justice Memo, February 1999). 

L. William Luria, M.D., and Dennis G. Agliano, M.D., “Abusive Medical Testimony: Toward Peer Review“, describes efforts under way in Hillsborough County, Florida, to apply principles of peer review to the control of irresponsible or unqualified forensic testimony by medical professionals. 

Walter Olson, “Lawyers with Stethoscopes: Clients Beware” (Manhattan Institute Civil Justice Memo, 1996) (abusive litigation is also bad for the medical prognosis of claimants) 

Breast implants: see separate page

Vaccines: 

Health Hippo vaccines section. 

Peter Huber, “Dan Quayle, the Lawyers and the AIDS Babies“, Forbes, October 28, 1991 (liability and an AIDS vaccine). 

Peter Huber, “Health, Death, and Economics“, Forbes, May 10, 1993 (“investment in vaccines remains far lower than it should be, given the huge benefits that vaccines provide”) 

Walter Olson, “California Counts the Costs of Lawsuit Mania“, Wall Street Journal, June 3, 1992 (liability slowing research on AIDS vaccine). 

Malpractice law:

Daniel Kessler and Mark McClellan of Stanford won the Kenneth Arrow Award in Health Economics in 1997 for their article “Do Doctors Practice Defensive Medicine?”, which “found that when states reformed malpractice laws to put caps on damages for pain and suffering, or to eliminate punitive damages, hospital expenditures for heart disease patients were reduced by about 5 percent, yet did not leave the patients with worse health outcomes.” 

Richard Anderson, M.D., “An ‘Epidemic’ of Medical Malpractice?  A Commentary on the Harvard Medical Practice Study“, Manhattan Institute Civil Justice Memo, July 1996 (shortcomings of famous study of medical care in New York hospitals). 

Forbes columns by Peter Huber on the issue include “Malpractice Law: A Defective Product” (1990) and “Rx: Radical Lawyerectomy” and “Easy Lawsuits Make Bad Medicine” (1997). 

Walter Olson, “A Story That Doesn?t Have a Leg To Stand On,” Wall Street Journal, March 27, 1995 (the famous “wrong-leg amputation” case). 

In 1993, in a paper given at the annual meeting of the Association for Health Services Research, Daniel Mendelson and Robert Rubin estimated that defensive medicine practices in three areas alone — pre-surgical testing, fetal monitoring and skull x-rays — probably exceeded $2 billion a year, and estimated likely savings from “aggressive malpractice reform” at more than twice that amount.  Perhaps in contrast (or perhaps not), a 1995 study of obstetrics in Washington state by L. Baldwin et al found no differences in practice between doctors who had been named in suits and those who had not. And Mark Hauser et al, “Fear of Malpractice Liability and its Role in Clinical Decision-Making” studied doctors’ reaction to hypothetical cases in which a patient’s file did or did not reveal a history of having sued physicians.  They found that in cases where an earlier suit had been reported the doctors were modestly more likely to call in other doctors, to recommend hospital admission, to document a case “by the book” rather than rely on judgment, and to predict a bad outcome.  Surprisingly, they did not order more tests or withdraw from cases more often when informed that a patient had a record of suing.  The Hauser paper notes one possible cost of an over-hasty resort to hospitalization: “In psychiatry a defensive response might include a needlessly low threshold for involuntary hospitalization, where the patient’s liberty and autonomy are, in essence, sacrificed in favor of conservative practice for the sake of self-protection.” 

The Michigan law firm of Garan, Lucow, Miller & Seward, P.C., which has a specialty in medical malpractice defense, maintains a comprehensive links page of resources in the field. 

Among reform groups, the Health Care Liability Alliance is a nationwide advocacy group whose website offers a variety of useful materials on the case for lawsuit reform. Californians Allied for Patient Protection defends the Golden State’s MICRA limits on malpractice liability.  CLYSIS is a Minnesota group working for medical liability reform.  State medical societies, such as the Medical Society of the State of New York, often maintain law-related information at their websites.

Archived personal responsibility items, pre-July 2003

Tipple your way to court, 2003:Shouldn’t have let him get so drunk” (Australia), May 12.  2002:‘Woman freezes; sues city, cabbie’“, Sept. 18-19; “Wasn’t his fault for lying drunk under truck“, Aug. 16-18; “Hey, no fair talking about the pot” (highway rollover), Apr. 12-14; “European workplace notes” (employer responsible for vodka overdose), Feb. 25-26; “‘Drunken Driver’s Widow Wins Court’s OK To Sue Carmaker’“, Feb. 25-26. 2001:‘Teen hit by train while asleep on tracks sues railroad’“, Dec. 12; “‘Man suing after drunken driving crash’“, Aug. 20-21; “Don’t rock the Coke machine“, Jul. 20-22; “Court says tipsy topless dancer can sue club“, Jul. 3-4; “Jury: drunk driver hardly responsible at all for fatal crash“, Jun. 15-17; “It was the bar’s fault“, Apr. 13-15; “‘Court upholds workers compensation for drunk, injured worker’“, Apr. 6-8; “‘Woman who drove drunk gets $300,000’” (Ontario), Feb. 7-8 (& see Sept. 24, second case: $18 million); “‘All you can drink’ winner sues over fall“, Jan. 31-Feb. 1.  2000:Zapped pylon-climber sues liquor-servers, utility“, March 6.  1999:Personal responsibility wins a round” (judge rejects case from Pa. man who got drunk and climbed high voltage catenary), Sept. 17-19. 

Maybe crime does pay, 2003:‘Robber sues clerk who shot him during holdup’“, May 6; “Not an April Fool’s joke“, Apr. 1; “‘Burglars to be banned from suing victims’” (U.K.), Mar. 10-11; “‘Family of electrocuted thief gets $75,000’“, Feb. 26; “Tried to outrun Coast Guard in chase“, Feb. 14-16; “‘No suits by lawbreakers, please’“, Jan. 27-28 (& Jan. 31-Feb. 2).  2002:‘Mom who drugged kids’ ice cream sues’“, Nov. 1-3; “‘Patient sues hospital for letting him out on night he killed’” (Australia, psychiatric case), Oct. 16-17; “‘Crime pays for teenage lout’” (Australia), Sept. 3-4; “‘After stabbing son, mom sues doctors’“, May 31-Jun. 2; “‘Barbed wire might hurt burglars, pensioner warned’“, May 28-29; “Hospital rapist sues hospital“, May 22-23 (& Mar. 5-7, 2003: court dismisses case); “Lawyers say taxpayers owe $41 million to smuggled illegals’ survivors“, May 10-12; “L.A. police sued, and sued” (by family of gunman killed in shootout), Apr. 12-14; “Should have arrested him faster” (frostbite in the open), Mar. 1-3; “Vandal’s dad sues store over blaze“, Feb. 6-7; “Paroled prisoner: pay for not supervising me“, Jan. 4-6.  2001:Firefighter’s demand: back pay for time facing criminal rap“, Aug. 29-30; “‘Man suing after drunken driving crash’“, Aug. 20-21; “‘Criminals could sue their victims’” (U.K.), July 26; “‘Woman who drove drunk gets $300,000’” (Ontario), Feb. 7-8; “Crime does pay” (Denver burglar shot by police gets $1.2 million), Feb. 2. 2000:‘Burglar sues for compensation’” (Australia), Nov. 21 (& see Apr. 1-2, 2002); “‘Fla. DUI Teen Sues Police’” (should have arrested him, he argues), Nov. 14; “Killed his mother, now suing his psychiatrists“, Oct. 2; “Not my fault, I” (woman who murdered daughter sues psychiatrists), May 17; “$65 million Texas verdict: driver at twice the legal blood limit” (drunk driver’s estate sues automaker), March 28; “From the labor arbitration front” (disallowed firing of employee who pleaded no contest to larceny), March 28; “Crime does pay, cont’d” (North Hollywood, Calif. bank robber killed in police shootout), Feb. 23 (& update March 23: mistrial declared after jury deadlock in suit by robber’s family); “County to pay ‘mountain man’ burglar $412,500“, Feb. 15. 1999:‘Two men shot in suspected drug deal win $1.7 million’“, Dec. 15 (& update June 6, 2001: appeals court overturns); “California’s worst?” (bank robber sues after hidden tear-gas device goes off in loot), Dec. 14; “Drunks have rights, too“, Dec. 1 (& update Jul. 24-25, 2000: appeals court throws out award).  See also our editor’s article on New York’s “mugger millionaire” case

Pools & swimming, 2003:‘Lawyers spoil fun’” (Ga. water park), May 19; “‘Florida jury awards $100M for pool accident’“, Feb. 13.  2002:Australia’s litigation debate“, May 24-26.  2001:Australian roundup” (bodysurfer), Nov. 23-25; “Needed: assumption of risk“, Jul. 27-29.  2000:‘How’s the pool?’” (Las Vegas Strip’s Frontier Hotel recommended for its pre-big-lawsuits deep end), Feb. 23; “Latest shallow-end pool dive case“, Jan. 24.  1999:Razor wire on the pool fence” (homeowner finds it too big a legal risk to let local kids swim), Jul. 27. 

Should have watched his step answering call of nature“, Mar. 8-9, 2003.

Couldn’t help eating it, 2003:Give me my million“, Jun. 20-22; “Judge tosses McDonald’s obesity case“, Jan. 23 (& Jan. 27-28); “Anti-diet activist hopes to sue Weight Watchers“, Jan. 13-14.  2002: Letter to the editor, Oct. 23; “Claim: docs should have done more to help woman quit smoking and lose weight“, Sept. 18-19; “Personal responsibility roundup“, Sept. 12; “Fat suits, cont’d“, Jul. 26-28; “‘Ailing man sues fast-food firms’“, Jul. 25; “Sin-suit city“, Jun. 10; “McArdle on food as next-tobacco“, May 27; “‘Targeting “big food”‘“, Apr. 29-30; “Life imitates parody: ‘Whose Fault Is Fat?‘”, Jan. 23-24.  2001:‘Diabetic German judge sues Coca-Cola for his health condition’“, Nov. 18.  2000:‘Caffeine added to sodas aims to addict — study’“, Aug. 18-20.  1999:Toffee maker sued for tooth irritation“, Nov. 5-7; “Not just our imagination” (calls for class-action suits against fast-food, meat purveyors), Sept. 25-26.

Warning labels and disclaimers, 2003:‘Wacky Warning Label’ winners“, Jan. 13-14.  2002:Satirical-disclaimer Hall of Fame” (Australian humor magazine), Oct. 28-29; “‘Warning …’” (Dave Barry humor column), Aug. 16-18; “Read the label, then ignore it if you like” (flammable carpet adhesive), Jul. 12-14; “Pitcher, hit by line drive, sues maker of baseball bat“, Apr. 19-21; “Injured in ‘human hockey puck’ stunt“, Mar. 18; “‘Before you cheer … “Sign here”‘“, Mar. 15-17; “Didn’t know cinema seats retracted“, Feb. 13-14; “Warning on fireplace log: ‘risk of fire’“, Jan. 25-27.  2001:Et tu, UT?” (Utah will not enforce parent-signed release forms for children), Nov. 16-18; “Disclaimer rage?“, Oct. 15; “Needed: assumption of risk“, Jul. 27-29; “Quite an ankle sprain” (failure to warn of gopher holes in parks), Apr. 20-22; “‘Wacky Warning Label’ winners“, Jan. 19-21.  2000:Columnist-fest” (Girl Scout horseback riding disclaimer), Apr. 6; “Rise of the high school sleepover disclaimer“, Mar. 22; “From our mail sack: skin art disclaimers” (tattoo consent form), Mar. 1; “Weekend reading: columnist-fest” (Laura Pulfer on warning labels), Feb. 5-6; “Never iron clothes while they’re being worn” (Wacky Warning Label contest winners), Jan. 18 (& letter to editor, Jan. 21-23).  1999:Christmas lawyer humor” (Yuletide greetings consisting entirely of disclaimers), Dec. 23-26; “Weekend reading” (disclaimers “creeping into nearly every aspect of American life”), Jul. 31-Aug. 1. 

Blamed for suicides, 2003:‘No suits by lawbreakers, please’“, Jan. 27-28 (& Jan. 31-Feb. 2).  2002:The blame for suicide“, Sept. 25-26; “‘Addictive’ computer game blamed for suicide“, Apr. 3-4. 2001:Utah: rescue searchers sued“, Nov. 26, 2001; “‘Shooting range sued over suicide’“, Sept. 27; “$3 million verdict for selling gun used in suicide“, Sept. 17; “‘Suicide- Attempt Survivor Sues’” (department that issued cop his gun), Jan. 24-25. 

Excuse syndromes, 2002:Blue-ribbon excuses” (sex on train), Oct. 7-8; “So depressed he stole $300K“, Mar. 19; “Rough divorce predisposed him to hire hitman“, Feb. 13-14. 2001:Stories that got away” (multiple-personality defense), Jul. 23; “‘Pseudologica fantastica’ won’t fly” (judge’s fibs on resume), Jun. 7 (& Aug. 20-21); “Judge buys shopaholic defense in embezzling“, May 25-27; “The malaria drug made him do it“, Mar. 28.  2000:Blue-ribbon excuses” (baked goods mutilator, lawyer pleading incompetent self-representation), Oct. 6-9; “Predestination made him do it” (Pope’s assassin and Fatima prophecy), June 6; “Victim of the century?” (misbehaving school principal collects disability benefits for sexual compulsion), Jun. 2-4; “Prozac made him rob banks“, Mar. 1; “Blue-ribbon excuse syndromes“, Feb. 12-13; “Latest excuse syndromes“, Jan. 13-14.  1999: “Doctor sues insurer, claims sex addiction“, Oct. 13. 

Lightning bolt in amusement park’s parking lot“, Jun. 23, 2003; “‘Woman attacked by goose sues county’“, Jan. 27-28, 2003; “Quite an ankle sprain” (watch where you’re going in parks), Apr. 20-22, 2001. 

MIT sued over student’s nitrous-oxide death“, Feb. 25, 2003; “By reader acclaim: ‘Parents file suit over student’s drug death’” (abuse of Oxycontin), Jul. 25, 2001. 

Take care of myself?  That’s the doc’s job“, Feb. 14-16, 2003; “Claim: docs should have done more to help woman quit smoking and lose weight” (Pa.), Sept. 18-19, 2002.

Satirical-disclaimer Hall of Fame” (Australian humor magazine), Oct. 28-29, 2002; “Tobacco: Boeken record” (The Onion parody), June 19, 2001; “Jury orders ‘Big Chocolate’ to pay $135 billion to obese consumers” (parody), Aug. 3, 2000; “This side of parodies” (fictional account of self-inflicted icepick injury), Oct. 5-6, 1999. 

Sports risks:Sis-Boom-Sue” (cheerleading), Jan. 15-16, 2003; “Skating first, instructions later“, Sept. 25-26, 2002; “Pitcher hit by line drive sues maker of baseball bat“, Apr. 19-21, 2002; “Australian roundup” (Perth bodysurfer), Nov. 23-25, 2001; “Needed: assumption of risk” (baseball thrown into stands, skydiving), July 27-29; “‘Lawsuits could tame ski slopes’“, Feb. 6, 2001; “Promising areas for suits” (foul-ball cases and other stadium injuries), Dec. 7, 2000; “Teams liable for fans’ safety” (Colorado: hockey puck hit into stands), Aug. 15; “‘Skydivers don’t sue’“, May 26-29; “Trips on shoelace, demands $10 million from Nike“, April 7-9, 2000. 

Gambling: Letter to the editor, Oct. 23; “Personal responsibility roundup“, Sept. 12, 2002; “Sin-suit city“, Jun. 10; “‘Next tobacco’ watch: gambling“, May 20-21, 2002 (& May 31); “‘Gambling addiction’ class action” (Quebec), June 20, 2001.

Hot beverages:Litigation good for the country?” (Carl T. Bogus), Aug. 19, 2002; “British judge rejects hot-drink suits“, Mar. 29-31, 2002 (& Aug. 10, 2000); “By reader acclaim” (Illinois case; complainant sues mother), Jan. 11, 2001; “‘Court says warning about hot coffee unnecessary’” (Nevada Supreme Court), Jul. 18, 2000; “Now it’s hot chocolate“, Apr. 4, 2000. 

‘Family of boy injured by leopard may sue’“, Jul. 18, 2002; “Skinny-dipping with killer whale: ‘incredibly bad judgment’“, Sept. 21, 1999 (Oct. 7 update: case dropped). 

Wasn’t his fault for lying drunk under truck“, Aug. 16-18, 2002; “‘Win Big! Lie in Front of a Train!’“, Jun. 26-27, 2002 (& Jul. 12-14); “Australian roundup” (graffiti artist on train), Nov. 23-25, 2001; “Hit after laying on RR tracks; sues railroad“, Oct. 23, 2001. 

‘Man awarded $60,000 for falling over barrier’“, Mar. 5, 2002. 

Utah: rescue searchers sued“, Nov. 26, 2001. 

Suit blames drugmaker for Columbine“, Oct. 24-25, 2001. 

Mosh pit mayhem“, Sept. 7-9, 2001. 

Urban legend alert: six ‘irresponsibility’ lawsuits“, Aug. 27-28, 2001.

Don’t rock the Coke machine“, Jul. 20-22, 2001. 

Tobacco: Boeken record“, June 19, 2001. 

Scary!:From dinner party to court” (U.K. hypnotist), May 22, 2001; “Hypnotist sued by entranced spectator“, March 3-14, 2001; “Girl puts head under guillotine; sues when hurt“, March 8, 2000; “Haunted house too scary“, Jan. 6, 2000; “‘Scared out of business’” (decline of community Halloween haunted houses), Nov. 5-7, 1999. 

Stop having fun (children’s recreation): see schools page

Tendency of elastic items to recoil well known“, Mar. 6, 2001.

By reader acclaim” (sues alleged crack dealers over own addiction), Jan. 11, 2001.

Smoker’s suit nixed in Norway“, Dec. 18-19, 2000; “Personal responsibility takes a vacation in Miami” (Engle tobacco verdict), July 8, 1999.

Highway responsibility” (Derrick Thomas suit), Nov. 28, 2000.

Fat tax proposed in New Zealand“, Oct. 31, 2000. 

More things you can’t have: raw-milk cheeses“, Oct. 3, 2000; “More things you can’t have” (unpasteurized cider, New England square dances), Sept. 27, 1999; “More things you can’t have” (rare hamburgers, food sent to summer camp), August 9, 1999.

Smoking and responsibility: columnists weigh in” (after Florida verdict), Jul. 28-30, 2000. 

‘”Whiplash!” America’s most frivolous lawsuits’” (book collects cases), Jul. 14-16, 2000. 

Inmate: you didn’t supervise me” (horseplay alone in cell), Jul. 7, 2000. 

Can’t sue over affair with doctor” (court rules it was consensual), Jun. 13, 2000. 

Risky?  Who’da thunk it?” (currency speculator sues over losses), Jun. 9-11, 2000. 

‘Jury awards apparent record $220,000 for broken finger’” (hurt while dancing), May 22, 2000. 

Videogame maker agrees to furnish safety gloves“, Mar. 13, 2000. 

Letourneau scandal: now where’s my million?” (boy sues), Apr. 20, 2000.

All dressed up“, Apr. 19, 2000. 

Down repressed-memory lane I: costly fender-bender” (eggshell-psyche plaintiff), Dec. 29-30, 1999. 

Down repressed-memory lane II: distracted when she signed” (separation agreement), Dec. 29-30, 1999.

GM verdict roundup” (lawyers shift drunk drivers’ responsibility to automakers), Dec. 16, 1999; “Drunks have rights, too“, Dec. 1, 1999. 

Rolling the dice (cont’d)” (Internet gambler sues credit card companies that advanced him money), Dec. 7, 1999; “Rolling the dice” (same), Aug. 26, 1999.

Responsibility, RIP” (columnist Mona Charen), Nov. 2, 1999. 

The art of blame” (death of child left in hot van), Oct. 20, 1999. 

Nominated by reader acclamation” (killer’s parents sue school district, lawmen for failing to prevent Columbine massacre), Oct. 18, 1999. 

Block PATH to lawsuits” (fall out of tree in yard, sue your employer), Sept. 1, 1999. 

To restore individual responsibility, bring back contract principles” (Cato Institute paper by Prof. Michael Krauss), Aug. 16, 1999.

Somebody might trip” (NYC condemns prints-of-the- Hollywood-stars sidewalk as slip hazard), Aug. 13, 1999. 

All have lost, and all must have damages” (huge award to salesman who hawked bad insurance policies since he’s a victim too), Aug. 3, 1999.


Through much of American history, courts discouraged lawsuits arising from risks that individuals were deemed to have assumed in the course of going about familiar activities, such as the risk of being thrown while horseback riding, of slipping on toys underfoot while visiting a house with children, or of being hit with a foul ball while attending a ball game.  (Stored search on “assumption of risk”: Google, Alta Vista). Under the doctrine of “contributory negligence”, they often dismissed, as a matter of law, cases where a complainant’s own negligence had helped cause an accident.  They were even less likely to entertain cases in which someone’s knowing or deliberate dereliction had placed him in physical peril, such as cases in which people sue over injuries sustained in the course of committing crimes or attempting suicide.  And finally, they gave broad respect to express contractual disclaimers or waivers of liability: if a party was on notice that the other side in a transaction wasn’t willing to assume a responsibility, it wouldn’t be easy to tag them later with that responsibility in court. 

By the 1950s all these old barriers to liability had come under sustained attack in the law schools, where they were viewed as insulating defendants’ misconduct from legal scrutiny and impeding the forward march of liability law as a (high-overhead) variety of social insurance.  Most states moved from contributory negligence to comparative negligence, which allows a plaintiff whose negligence helped cause an accident to sue over it anyway, though for a reduced recovery.  Waivers and disclaimers began to be struck down as unconscionable, against public policy, not spelled out with sufficient clarity, etc.  And assumption of risk was whittled down by way of a dozen techniques: the most influential torts scholar of the postwar period, William Prosser, took the view that “that implied reasonable assumption of risk should not be allowed to reduce a plaintiff’s damage in any way” (Chase Van Gorder, “Assumption of Risk Under Washington Law“). 

The result is today’s American legal environment in which plaintiffs routinely try their luck at suits after being injured climbing high-voltage utility structures while drunk, skinny-dipping in icy pools with captive killer whales, trying “wheelies” and other stunts on industrial forklifts, and smoking for decades.  Some of these suits succeed at obtaining settlements while others fail, and it’s important to bear in mind that assumption of risk and related doctrines have not disappeared entirely.  Their general decay, however, has been important in bringing us today’s hypertrophy of such areas of law as premises liability, product liability and recreational liability. 

The website of attorney D. Pamela Gaines has useful resources on assumption of risk as it applies to such areas as premises liability, recreation and amusement parks. At the International Mountain Bicycling Association site, Tina Burckhardt explains “recreational use statutes” which grant some protection from liability lawsuits to landowners who allow free recreational use of their property.