Here's an interesting fact sheet put together by Public Citizen, saying basically that you should be careful of which statistics you pay attention to. Their conclusion: the Federal Government's National Practitioner Data Bank, which reports 100% of the verdicts and settlements, reflects the median medical malpractice payment by a physician to a patient rose 35 percent from 1997 to 2001, from $100,000 to $135,000.

A far cry from the hounds baying about "jackpot juries." Thanks to Brian King in Salt Lake City for the link.