It is a shame.  The Missouri Legislature has done everything possible to deter victims of Missouri medical malpractice from filing injury and wrongful death claims against negligent doctors and the hospitals that employ them.  So far, the legislature has placed a 'damages cap' of $350,000 for non-economic damages on any medical malpractice claim filed after 2005.  They have also limited the amount of punitive damages that are recoverable, even against the most grossly negligent doctors and hospitals in this state.  The legislature's reasoning: increasing medical malpractice insurance premiums. 

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!  The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) just published research that for the third straight year, claims of medical malpractice have decreased.  Even more relevant to thwarting the Missouri legislature's rationale for limiting claims is that the NPDB claims that in 2008, malpractice insurance premiums were 30.7% lower than all previous years.  Actually, malpractice insurance premiums were the lowest on record for 2008. 

Studies show that between 3 and 7 citizens die as a direct result of medical negligence for each person for recieves any type of compensation from a medical malpractice claim.  That sickens me.  If you suspect that you or a loved one has been the victim of medical negligence, contact a Missouri Medical Malpractice Lawyer at Schultz Legal Group for a consultation.  Be careful not to wait too long, as the statute of limitations in Missouri for medical malpractice are very short.  If you don't file your injury claim in the appropriate court within this short timeframe, your claim may forever be barred.