Korcok M
CMAJ. 1995 Oct 1;153(7):963-6.
In the "war zones" of Texas, lawyers use billboards, television commercials and Yellow Page advertisements to announce their availability to help the "unjustly injured," and medicolegal lawsuits are as common as the rain that sweeps in from the nearby Gulf of Mexico. Almost 75% of the suits are dismissed without award or settlement, since many are plainly frivolous. However, even these can mean torment for physicians, who have to hire lawyers, answer charges, collect paperwork, take time off work for depositions and consultations, and then worry about how insurers will react the next time premiums are due--even if they are cleared. Texas estimates that defensive medicine practised because of legal fears costs the state at least $702 million annually, spending that is bound to continue as long as one lawsuit is filed annually for every 5.3 doctors in the state.
在得克萨斯州的“战区”，律师们通过广告牌、电视广告和黄页广告宣传自己可为“受冤屈者”提供帮助，医疗法律诉讼如同从附近墨西哥湾袭来的雨水一样常见。近75%的诉讼未经判决或和解就被驳回，因为许多诉讼明显是无意义的。然而，即便如此，这些诉讼对医生来说也意味着折磨，他们得聘请律师、应对指控、收集文件资料、请假去参加 depositions（此处可能是“取证”之类的法律程序环节）和咨询，然后还要担心下次保费到期时保险公司会作何反应——即便他们最终被证明无责。得克萨斯州估计，因法律担忧而实行的防御性医疗每年至少让该州花费7.02亿美元，只要该州每5.3名医生每年就有一起诉讼被提起，这笔开支就必然会持续下去。
