Many Malpractice Suits End With No Payment to Plaintiffs
Although most physicians face at least one malpractice claim during their careers, three out of every four of those lawsuits are resolved with no payment to plaintiffs, according to a New England Journal of Medicine study. The study also found that malpractice claims varied by specialty and that 75% of physicians in lower-risk specialties face at least one malpractice claim before retirement. In addition, the study showed little correlation between the likelihood of being sued for malpractice and the size of payouts.
- "Malpractice: Many Claims but Few Big Paydays" (Neale, MedPage Today, 8/17).
- "Just 1 in 5 Medical Malpractice Cases End in Settlements or Judgments for Patients, Study Says" (AP/Washington Post, 8/17).