One of the great things about the United States is that we are a litigious country. If someone were to do a wrong towards us, we have the free right to file a lawsuit against him or her. In many cases, filing suit against that person or persons is the only way to compensate for the wrong they have done. But in this day of age, it seems like we are able to sue anyone for almost anything. For instance, I could sue a fast food company after I get involved in a wreck while drinking one of their milkshakes. I could claim that the fast food company knew that I would be drinking the beverage while driving and claim the company failed to put a label on the drink warning against eating and driving. For many people this case may seem wacky but I'm sure that it could be done. All you need someone who has been in this situation and a lawyer to convince them that they could turn the minor fender bender into a million dollar lawsuit. Lawyers have turned the wheels of justice into the Wheel of Fortune by taking on every nit-picking plaintiff hoping to hit the judicial jackpot.
             Now you might be wondering how all this ties into the subject of rising health insurance. I'm not claiming that lawsuits are the only factor in the rise of insurance cost, but it is one element that has been a huge cause in the last decade or so. Excessive medical malpractice lawsuits are generating higher health care costs, adding billions of dollars to both private health care coverage and federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. One of the escalating components to rising health care costs is the expense of medical liability. Health care professionals are heavily insured against medical malpractice and the increasing costs of medical liability premiums are fueled by malpractice claims. Excessive lawsuits drive up medical expenses because doctors are forced to provide necessary precautions to protect themselves.
             Just this past year, the House pas...