On February 24, 2017, a bare majority of Republications pushed H.R. 1215 through U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee without debate by narrow 18-17 vote. Although styled the “Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017,” in fact H.R. 1215 is one of a half-dozen slickly-styled anti-justice House Bills being railroaded through Congress that attack the rights and remedies of injured ordinary citizens:
A. H.R. 720: “Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act”
B. H.R. 725: “Innocent Party Protection Act”
C. H.R.732: “Stop Settlement Slush Fund Act”
D. H.R. 906: “Furthering Asbestos Claims Transparency Act”
E. H.R. 985: “Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act”
The following are example justice travesties of H.R. 1215, which mainly closes Court doors on most medical malpractice victim claims, but which also quietly thwarts injured victim product liability claims against pharmaceutical corporations, medical device manufacturers, insurance companies, and others:
A. MEDICAL ERROR OF EPIC PROPORTIONS
U.S. medical errors kill 440,000 annually and injure many more.
B. FAULTY CLAIM OF HEALTHCARE IMPROVEMENT
Minimized accountability decreases quality and increases cost.
C. ILLUSORY SAVINGS OF HEALTHCARE COSTS
Medical negligence is only 0.2% of total U.S. healthcare costs.
D. UNCONSTITUTIONAL PREEMPTION OF STATES RIGHTS
Inequitable destruction of current Virginia statutes and jurisprudence:
1. $250,000 Non-Economic Damages Cap
Implicates, discriminatorily, total malpractice damages cap.
2. Joint Liability Elimination
Insulates wrongdoers at expense of victims and public coffers.
3. Collateral Source Introduction
Injects patient paid, but not wrongdoer liability, insurance coverage.
4. Future Payments Imposition
Defers compensation at expense of victims and public coffers.
5. Attorneys Fees Limitation
Renders most non-wealthy patient representation uneconomical.
E. HIDDEN AGENDA OF ENLARGED PROTECTION
Insulates insurers, pharmaceutical/device makers, and others too.
SINCE H.R. 1215 (AND THE OTHER ANTI-JUSTICE HOUSE BILLS) COME BEFORE THE FULL HOUSE AND THE FULL SENATE SOON, CONTACT THE FOLLOWING VIRGINIA U.S. CONGRESSMEN NOW (BEFORE YOUR EXISTING LEGAL RIGHTS AND REMEDIES ARE EXTINGUISHED):
VIRGINIA – US SENATORS
Mark Warner
703 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-2023
Contact: www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact
Timothy Kaine
231 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4024
Contact: www.kaine.senate.gov/contact
VIRGINIA – HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Robert J. Wittman
6501 Mechanicsville Turnpike
Suite 102
Mechanicsville, VA 23111
Phone: (804) 730-6595
Fax: (804) 730-6597
https://wittman.house.gov/contact/
Scott Taylor
412 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4215
https://taylor.house.gov/contact/email
Robert C. Scott
1201 Longworth House Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-8351
Fax: (202) 225-8354
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/contact
Donald McEachin
314 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6365
Fax: (202) 226-1170
https://mceachin.house.gov/contact/email
Thomas Garrett
686 Berkmar Circle, 2nd Floor
Charlottesville, VA 22901
Phone: (434) 973-9631
https://tomgarrett.house.gov/contact/email
Bob Goodlatte
70 North Mason Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
Phone: (540) 432-2391
Fax: (540) 432-6593
https://goodlatte.house.gov/contact
Dave Brat
4201 Dominion Blvd, Suite 110
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Phone: (804) 747-4073
Fax: (804) 747-5308
https://brat.house.gov/contact
Don Beyer
5285 Shawnee Road
Suite 250
Alexandria, VA 22312
Phone: (703) 658-5403
Fax: (703) 658-5408
https://beyer.house.gov/contact
Morgan Griffith
323 West Main Street
Abingdon, VA 24210
Phone: (276) 525-1405
Fax: (276) 525-1444
https://morgangriffith.house.gov/contact/contactform.htm
Barbara Comstock
21430 Cedar Drive, Suite 218
Sterling, VA 20164
Phone: (703) 404-6903
Fax: (703) 404-6906
https://comstock.house.gov/contact/email
Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly
4115 Annandale Road, Ste. 103
Annandale, VA 22003
Phone: (703) 256-3071
Fax: (703) 354-1284
https://connolly.house.gov/contact/contact-gerry.htm
