AFJ Urges Congress to Preserve the Rights of Americans Harmed by Medical Providers

Washington, D.C., March 20, 2012—Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement regarding the House of Representatives’ planned vote on H.R. 5, which would radically restrict Americans’ rights to seek justice in the courtroom:

The so-called “Protecting Access to Healthcare Act” would fundamentally weaken every American’s legal rights the moment he or she walks into a hospital, checks into a nursing home, or picks up a prescription from the pharmacy. Alliance for Justice has joined with patient and consumer-rights groups to ask Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to oppose the bill, which is scheduled to come to the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday.

By establishing “caps” on the amount of compensation victims of medical malpractice can seek, Congress is about to decide, in advance, exactly how much every American family’s health is worth. By taking compensation decisions out of the hands of a judge and jury, the bill functions as an attack on our nation’s long-held belief in the primacy of a jury of one’s peers. It is also an unconscionable ploy to protect the profits of those pharmaceutical companies and medical equipment manufacturers which have been found guilty of malpractice and have been called to account at trial. These decisions shouldn’t be made in Washington, and they definitely shouldn’t be made just to appease powerful special interests. H.R. 5 is yet another attempt to shift power in our legal system from everyday Americans to corporations, and it must be defeated before all semblance of fairness is removed from the judicial process.

Patient and consumer-rights groups yesterday sent a letter to Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi opposing the bill. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here.

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Alliance for Justice is a national association of over 100 organizations, representing a broad array of groups committed to progressive values and the creation of an equitable, just, and free society. AFJ works to ensure that the federal judiciary advances core constitutional values, preserves human rights and unfettered access to the courts, and adheres to the even-handed administration of justice for all Americans. It is the leading expert on the legal framework for nonprofit advocacy efforts, providing definitive information, resources, and technical assistance that encourages organizations and their funding partners to fully exercise their right to be active participants in the democratic process. AFJ is based in Washington, D.C.