Battle over lawsuit reform heating up

SPRINGFIELD - Two years after a high-profile battle over medical malpractice costs, state lawmakers again are debating the complex and politically charged issue of how lawsuits are handled in Illinois. The players are the same, but this time trial lawyers are the ones pushing two proposals to let plaintiffs collect more money, rather than critics pushing to limit awards. One of the measures, signed into law last month, allows plaintiffs in wrongful death cases to seek damages for grief, sorrow and mental suffering. Previously in such cases, Illinois law allowed families to collect only for economic damages and some other specific categories, but not for grief. The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association said 23 other states already allowed damag