A recent article stated only 1 in 5 medical malpractice claims against physicians will result in a settlement, according to an extensive 20-year study by the New England Journal. Although doctors usually win the medical malpractice cases, annually 1 in 14 medical doctors have claims filed against them. According to the study, most medical doctors and surgeons will have a lawsuit filed against them.
By the numbers, the article suggested that at first glance the malpractice claims appear excessive. But the study showed that only a handful of patients harmed by medical mistakes will actually file a case. The trial lawyers state that it is very expensive to file a medical malpractice claim in the courts because of hiring witnesses and legally preparing a case. These costs usually run very high and the attorneys run the risk of not getting reimbursed. In contrast, the medical doctors and insurance companies have large amounts of financial and legal backing. As a result, cases are seldom brought to trial unless they are very strong and payouts are high.
Call a Utah medical malpractice attorney at PEARSON, BUTLER, CARSON & COOK, PLLC for a free consutlation at our South Jordan office at #801-495-4104.