According to an article published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine, most doctors will face at least one medical malpractice lawsuit as a defendant by the time they turn 65. Their findings come from looking at the files of a national malpractice insurance carrier.
The five most-sued specialties, with its doctors having a 99% chance of being sued by the time they celebrate their 65th birthday, are:
• Thoracic cardiovascular surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedic surgery
• General surgery
• Plastic surgery
The odds of getting sued by the same age in the 5 least sued specialties is 75%:
• Pediatrics
• Psychiatry
• Dermatology
• Family medicine
• A category referred to as “other specialties”
Yet, according to the study, even with these odds, most plaintiffs will never receive payment in the form of a jury verdict or settlement. Only 22% of medical malpractice cases result in actual payment each year. The average payment size ranged from $117,832 for dermatology malpractice to $520,932 for pediatrician medical malpractice.
Washington DC Medical Malpractice
It goes without saying that not only do you want to make sure that you obtain a settlement or win damages for your DC medical malpractice case, but you also want to get paid. Our Washington DC personal injury law firm is familiar with the devastating consequences that can be brought by a medical mistake, as well as the financial, emotional, and physical toll that this can take on the victim and his/her family.
Our DC medical malpractice lawyers are experienced in determining what happened and who did what, and we know how to pursue your recovery from all liable parties. Whether you are the victim of Washington DC surgical malpractice, dental malpractice, nursing negligence, anesthesia malpractice, psychiatric malpractice, or any other type of medical mistake, you want to work with a legal team that knows how to protect your rights while helping you obtain damages.
Most Physicians Will Be Sued for Malpractice by Age 65, Medscape, August 17, 2011
Most Doctors Will Face Malpractice Suit During Careers, Study Finds, Fox News, August 19, 2011
New England Journal of Medicine
More Blog Posts:
Washington DC Medical Malpractice: Surgeon’s Estate Must Pay $1M Share of Settlement, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, July 31, 2011
$20M Washington DC Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Over HIV Misdiagnosis Can Proceed, Says Appeals Court, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, July 21, 2011
Maryland Birthing Malpractice: Brachial Plexus Injuries During Delivery Can Cause Permanent Damage, Maryland Accident Law Blog, July 26, 2011