Medical Malpractice – Who's Being Sued and What Is It Costing
A baby is born. The delivery was rocky, with the infant’s heart rate showing occasional signs of distress. Later, the parents learn that their child has cerebral palsy, and may never walk normally. Was the obstetrician to blame and, if so, should the parents sue?
American medical care is burdened by a flawed and expensive malpractice system. Too many doctors are being sued not because they make mistakes, but because their patients experience bad outcomes.
A fascinating study lays out recent trends in malpractice, offering good and bad news for physicians. First, the good news: malpractice claims are declining. The rate of paid claims, in fact, went down more than 50% from the early 90s until now.
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