Florida House Passes Lawsuit Overhaul Package

The Florida House has approved a trio of lawsuit-overhaul bills.

The first bill (HB 479) passed 88-28 on Monday. It increases the burden of proof for plaintiffs to win medical malpractice cases. It largely makes hospitals blameless for the errors of their doctors. And it provides for punishment of doctors who offer expert testimony found to be false or misleading.

Another bill (HB 661) affects suits against nursing homes. It provides a $300,000 limit on pain and suffering damages in wrongful death cases. House members approved the measure 77-41.

A third (HB 391) changes the way the state’s trial judges determine whether to allow testimony from expert witnesses. That was approved 83-33.

Similar bills are in the Senate.