The Associated Press has reported that more than 40 million Americans have some sort of disability, and with the baby boom generation aging, that number will grow significantly over the next 30 years. This number may be somewhat misleading because many disabled individuals are in their situation as a result of the negligence and wrongful acts of others. Instead of our government covering the costs to care for these unfortunate people, the person or company responsible (or their insurance carrier) should have to bear the costs of their care.
The purpose of our tort system and insurance coverage is to shift costs to the appropriate party. This system also provides an incentive for people and companies to act with reasonable care. Why should our government be burdened with additional Social Security and Medicare costs when someone else’s negligence caused the disabling injury?
