Will John Edwards do for America what he did for North Carolina, if elected? We'd better hope not. His home state is currently in the midst of a crisis situation, according to the American Medical Association, due to the malpractice consequences of his many million dollar plus verdicts as a tort lawyer.

 "The John Edwards we know crushed [obstetrics, gynecology] and neurosurgery in North Carolina," said Dr. Craig VanDerVeer, a Charlotte neurosurgeon. "As a result, thousands of patients lost their health care."

"And all of this for the little people?" he asked, a reference to Mr. Edwards' argument that he represented regular people against mighty foes such as prosperous doctors and big insurance companies. "How many little people do you know who will supply you with $60 million in legal fees over a couple of years?"

The national press is largely uninterested in the story of what happens when junk science is used to persuade gullible juries to award millions to sympathetic victims of health problems. But there are real world consequences. The money ahs to come from somewhere, and it does subtract resources from actual health care services.

Of course, the lawyer keeps from a third to forty percent of the judgment received by the victim. Nice work for a 'little guy' son of a 'mill worker.'

Hat tip to Ethel Fenig

Posted by Thomas  8 16 04