Erin Crawford’s Perspective 

I recently read Emily Woodruff’s article about Louisiana’s nearly 50-year-old medical malpractice cap. While the piece included perspectives from physicians and attorneys, it did not include the voices of families who have lived through this system. 

My son, Hayes Tyler Crawford, was nine years old when he stepped into Heaven. On March 6 of this year, he should have celebrated his 13th birthday. Instead, I visited my son in a cemetery. Like many families, we never imagined we would one day be forced to navigate Louisiana’s medical malpractice system. 

What we quickly learned is that before a family can even bring their case before a jury, the law requires it to first go through a medical review panel made up largely of physicians. Historically, only a small percentage of these panel opinions find in favor of the patient, and that opinion can later be introduced as evidence when the case goes before a jury.