SPOTLIGHT: Employers, plans grabbing civil injury settlements

Of late, some employers and health plans have been working hard to collect funds from accident victims who win civil settlements. The practice, known as "subrogation," had been in ill repute legally, but a recent Supreme Court ruling has given many an incentive to renew their efforts. The idea behind subrogation claims is to recoup what they've already paid out on behalf of the victim, whose expenses are otherwise paid twice, litigants say. Meanwhile, some advocates say that this strategy is unfairly taking virtually all of the settlement away from plaintiffs in some cases. Article