Mr. Miller addresses a very contentious issue.  He, of course, has a "dog in the fight."  But, as a disinterested party, I agree with his premise.  Certainly, a monetary award doesn't compensate for the loss of a loved one. No one, to my knowledge, claims it does.  However, in our wisdom (as limited as it might be), we have developed a civil justice system which does provide such compensation.  As Mr. Miller notes it a) does provide some compensation for the loss and b) provides an incentive for increased diligence by medical providers.  The system is far from perfect, but it's the best we've got "going" right now. I'm guessing we would all welcome suggestions for improvements.  Gary Crum