Gov. Blunt: Lawsuit reform a success

CREVE COEUR, Mo. (AP) -- Gov. Matt Blunt says Missouri is seeing the benefits of medical lawsuit reform legislation passed nearly three years ago.

The Republican spoke Thursday at a news conference at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in suburban St. Louis. Blunt says that since he signed a tort reform bill in 2005, lawsuits filed against doctors have dropped sharply. So have the amount of damages.

Blunt says medical insurance premiums were skyrocketing before the law was passed. A radiologist at St. John's says his premiums have actually declined in the past two years.

But critics say the law hurts the needy and elderly who are declining to file medical malpractice suits because the lower cap on damages means that even if they win, most of the money will go to attorneys.