Letter: Suing the doctors

From: The Independent - London | Date: November 16, 1999| Author: ANTHONY BARTON | Copyright information

Sir: Lord Justice Otton is rightly concerned by the difficulties facing claimants in medical negligence actions (report, 12 November). However, he fails to recognise the detrimental effect of legal aid on the litigation process. Lawyers are encouraged to pursue weak cases, depleting funds intended for patient care.

According to the Legal Aid Board, the main funder of medical negligence actions, 12,556 cases were closed in 1996-97. In only 2,503 (fewer than 20 per cent) were damages aw...

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