Benjamin Franklin once said, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

And I say, surely this applies to the Tort Reformers in Texas, who would give up fellow Texans’ rights to sue wrong doers by placing a cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases…

It is all very fine on paper and in theory, until it is your baby that is harmed, or your wife, or your grandbaby.  Then you realize that HB-4 really helps the AMA and Insurance Companies. 

There are three types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum), and pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining surrounding the heart (pericardium). Sub-types (or cell types) of mesothelioma are epithelioid (the most common, and considered the most amenable to treatment), sarcomatous (a much more aggressive form), and biphasic or mixed (a combination of both of the other cell types).

The structural appearance of cells under the microscope determine the cell or sub-type of mesothelioma. Epithelioid is the least aggressive; sarcomatoid, the most aggressive. The biphasic or mixed cell type shows structural elements of both of the other two.

Once diagnosed, most individuals last less than eight months.  Exposure to asbestos causes mesothelioma.

“The very essence of civil liberty certainly consists in the right of every individual to claim protection of the laws whenever he/she receives an injury.”  Marbury v. Madison (1803).  -John Marshall.

Those sitting to take the B Reader re-certification exam report a significantly lower number of candidates present.  Further, presently, most B Readers are semi-retired and/or their work is subjected to being attacked relentlessly.   

   Thanks to Tort Reform in Texas, B Readers are now required to meet the stringent criteria required under the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code, at section/chapter 90.003 which is titled Reports Required For Claims Involving Asbestos-Related Injury, and reads like stereo instructions.     

Our sources also report that the American College of Radiology no longer offers or conducts any type of pre-exam training sessions.  Further, NIOSH has cut off their funding and will not even replace the aging view boxes that are used to administer the B Reader exam.  

“THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING.”  EDMUND BURKE