The unspeakably tragic case of Rory Staunton will, in my opinion, soon demonstrate both the positive and negative aspects of New York’s medical malpractice laws. Rory was a lively 12 year-old boy, who cut his arm while diving for a basketball on a gym floor. Within three days, he was dead from septic shock, after the doctors and staff at NYU Medical Center failed to appreciate the significance of the lab work that should have told them that Rory was in serious trouble as a result of bacteria that infected his wound.

Baseball is a very unpredictable and difficult game. Its frustrating nature can be seen even during a meaningless and somewhat cheesy event such as the Home Run Derby, when the game’s most dependable sluggers are fed a steady diet of batting practice pitches by pitchers of their own choosing and then get to swing at only the pitches they like. Last year, we saw Yankee second-baseman Robinson Cano launch home run after home run deep into the bleachers and beyond, winning the contest.

As a personal injury and medical malpractice lawyer, one of the most emotional issues that I confront in my everyday life, is the so-called “medical malpractice crisis”. Doctors, insurance companies, drug companies and business groups claim that this crisis is not only driving up the cost of health-care but is driving physicians out of the region and towards states that offer “tort reform”.

Since I was a small boy, my father, brothers and I have fished on a lake in upstate New York. Although we have done a great deal of trout fishing on the many nearby streams, it seems that no place was as dependable or relaxing as this lake. More importantly, it was and remains our father’s favorite place on earth. We have usually fished in the same 3 spots, using the same types of baits and the same methods. For many years, we caught mostly pickerel and perch, with our boat anchored, while hanging live baits over the side.