Janice Schakowsky: “if H.R. 5 passes, we will be committing legislative malpractice, in my view. Listen to my constituents. If you were on a…”

“if H.R. 5 passes, we will be committing legislative malpractice, in my view. Listen to my constituents. If you were on a jury, you just might feel they deserve more than $250,000 for the pain and suffering they have suffered and will suffer. H.R. 5 would take that right away from you and other citizens. ``On May 19, 2000,'' writes my constituent, ``I went for an outpatient surgery. During the surgery, the oxygen ignited, unbeknownst to the surgeon, the anesthesiologist and three to four other highly-trained medical personnel in the room. While the surgery continued, my entire face was burned. ``After a year of failed treatment to deal with the scarring, essentially I lost my entire upper lip, the front of my nose, the floor of the nose and immediate interior of my nose. I was referred to a specialist in Boston for reconstructive treatment. For these past three years I have been in a mask covering my face and I have nasal tubes to stent open my nose for 23 hours a day. With my mask on, I can only drink through a straw. My breathing was entirely cut off for almost 2 years, and is still not stable due to the scarring inside my nose. I have to travel to Boston monthly. I have been through eight surgeries and have two to four more pending, plus oral surgery and orthodontics. ``My claim is not frivolous, in spite of the rhetoric of the medical insurance and political spokespersons favoring legislation to cap awards for pain and suffering at $250,000.”