The Irish Government in an effort to reduce the spiralling cost of medical negligence claims against state hospitals may decide to copy a new Judge driven case management initiative in the US. The new scheme, known as judge-directed negotiation, is a way to radically reduce the costs of medical negligence claims. Getting Judges involved earlier, and more often in pushing for settlements is the aim of the new scheme.
Officials in New York have said the new programme bypasses years of Court battles, reduces legal costs while at the same time providing injured patients with fair compensation. The scheme which initially started in the Bronx area has now been extended to other New York Courts.
Liam Moloney, a medical negligence Solicitor said today “instead of the Government wasting tax payers money by establishing a new medical injuries assessment board they should consider copying the US approach. Any system that reduces the length of time that cases take and at the same time reduces legal costs should be implemented. Far too many medical negligence claims take years to be completed where if a Judge intervened at an earlier stage and pushed the parties toward a settlement, costs could be radically reduced. The Irish Judiciary have openly embraced the concept of case management and mediation and many of these cases are crying out for such intervention.”
For further information please contact Liam Moloney, Solicitor:
Tel: 045 898000
