A majority of Americans think patients bring too many lawsuits against doctors and half say they're awarded too much money, but there is ambiguity in the public's thinking. Double-digit don't know responses are a clear indicator that public attitudes are unsettled. Also, half of Americans say patients should be awarded money for pain and suffering and six in 10 believe the number of lawsuits filed against a doctor tells them a lot about his or her quality. Yet, a majority of Americans say patients should not be awarded money as a way to punish doctors for neglect or carelessness. And support for limiting personal injury awards varies depending on how questions are worded - a classic warning sign that people's attitudes on this issue should be reported with caution. When asked specifically about options for regulating malpractice lawsuits, Americans are divided on whether lawsuits should be more difficult to file or if the awards should be capped and if so, what the limit should be.