Working for nothing

I recently retired after 40-plus years of service as a legal secretary/ assistant to personal injury lawyers in Little Rock. I must take exception to the ads urging Arkansans to vote for Issue 1.

Unlike defense attorneys who charge insurance companies at least 80 hours per week, personal injury attorneys are dependent upon winning a case to get a fee and to recover their out-of-pocket expenses. If they fail, they have simply worked for nothing.

Years ago, a trial resulted in a verdict that has become the expertwitness standard where claims against doctors are concerned. Before a plaintiff can bring a claim against a doctor, they must find another doctor who is familiar with the type of medicine/ hospital involved and who will say that the Arkansas doctor was negligent and their treatment contrary to the standard of care in the community. Such an expert charges several hundred dollars just to review the patient’s history. The expert, who usually lives in another state, charges thousands to come to Arkansas to testify. Defense attorneys then attempt to make the jury see the expert as a “hired gun” who does nothing but testify against other doctors.

Once suit is filed, the defense begins a barrage of paperwork against the attorney for plaintiff. This is time-consuming for both the plaintiff’s attorney and the plaintiff. Finally, getting a plaintiff’s verdict that will repay the plaintiff for all they have undergone is virtually impossible. Vote no on Issue 1.

MARTHA MARTIN

Austin