Since Kentucky is only ONE of FOUR states out of FIFTY that do not permit a widow to recover for loss of companionship following her husband's wrongful death, then what is the problem?
Specifically, why should/would big business (Kentucky's Chamber of Commerce) say this would affect business since Kentucky is one of the few states that allow it. It obviously is not a deterrent to the rest of the nation. And if discounting the value of our human life is an economic magnet for industry, the Chamber needs to rethink their public image as they embrace what is good for business to the detriment of their workers and families.
Then why should/would the doctors and hospitals complain? Dr. Baretta Casey is sympathetic to the widows but is worried about unintended consequences of increased business costs (malpractice premiums) and driving doctors out of the state.
Again, the docs place money over patient care, and the old saw that doctors are leaving the state in droves is not backed up by the state's numbers on licensed physicians in the state.
Or as one widow whose husband died in Flight 5191, said,
“I'm puzzled as to why the physicians are concerned and or why industry is concerned,” Ryan said. “If bad doctors don't kill people and if industry maintains safe standards, there would be no need for them to be concerned about a person's ability to seek compensation for the loss of their spouse."
The tort reform lobby is skilled at misdirection and playing on peoples fears of increased costs, no jobs, and doctors leaving the state without medical care. No different than the politicians playing of the elderly's fears of Social Security drying up. Then when all else fails, it's those darn lawyers as big business and big medicine totally forget that without negligence on the part of the corporations or the doctors, there is no claim, no recovery, and no case; no matter who or how good the lawyer is that takes on big business or big medicine.
Here is a POLWATCHER's blog story. Also read, Two Flight 5191 widows speak post by Larry Dale Keeling in which two widows of flight 5191 absolutely dispell those issues raised by tort reformists in a logical and reasonable manner.
The widow of a Comair Flight 5191 crash victim lobbied outside the Senate Chambers today in hopes of reviving a bill that would allow her and others to sue for loss of companionship. The efforts of Kathy Ryan and other widows was met with resistance from several business organizations, including the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Kentucky Medical Association.
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