Group forms to oppose Arkansas medical tort reform effort

A group has formed to oppose a proposed amendment that would cap non-economic damages in medical lawsuits.

The Committee to Protect AR Families filed paperwork Tuesday saying its aim is to protect Arkansans from nursing home abuse. In a press release, it said it would “lead the fight to disqualify and/or defeat” the proposed amendment.

The proposed amendment, which could be on the ballot in November, would direct the Legislature to set a cap of at least $250,000 for non-economic damages in medical lawsuits and would limit trial lawyer contingency fees to 33.3% after expenses.

Health Care Access for Arkansans, the amendment’s backer, submitted more than 131,000 signatures to the secretary of state’s office Friday to place “An Amendment to Limit Attorney Contingency Fees and Non-Economic Damages in Medical Lawsuits” on the ballot. Those signatures are being verified by the secretary of state’s office. Initiated amendments must submit 84,859 valid signatures by registered voters.

In the press release, the Committee to Protect AR Families said the amendment “will not only take away a constitutional right but also place an arbitrary $250,000 value on all human life.”

That committee is being led by Martha Deaver, president of the nonprofit Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Residents, and Adam Jegley, a law student and son of Pulaski County Prosecutor Larry Jegley. The Committee to Protect AR Families has not submitted paperwork listing its donors.

According to the latest filing with the Arkansas Ethics Commission filed June 14, Health Care Access for Arkansans had collected $313,110 in contributions as of May 31 and had spent $249,742.42.

The Arkansas Health Care Association donated $250,000, while the second largest donor, RHC Operations of Conway, donated $50,000. RHC Operations is Reliance Health Care, a nursing home company with 38 locations in Arkansas. Six other skilled nursing facilities donated $2,000 to the effort, according to the filing.