Medical Malpractice FAQ
Medical malpractice is defined as the failure of medical professionals to provide patients with adequate treatment, which results in personal injury or loss of income.
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Types
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Malpractice takes many forms, such as surgical errors, an incorrect or delayed diagnosis, or errors in prescribed medication. Malpractice as a legal action must state both the error and the result, the most serious of this being wrongful death.
Wrongful Death
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According to an article published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association," more than 225,000 people die each year due to the actions of a physician.
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Malpractice Injury
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Outside of wrongful death, it was found that, in 2006, nearly 1.5 million people were injured due to medical errors.
Malpractice Insurance
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Every practicing doctor in the U.S. must carry medical malpractice insurance to cover possible errors and the cost of any resulting legal action and possible compensation.
Malpractice Awards
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According to the Medical Malpractice Directory, in the past couple of years, states have aggressively been passing legislation to limit the amount of damages that an injured person receives due to medical malpractice.
Considerations
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Determining liabilities for medical malpractice can be difficult and time-consuming, involving expert testimony and fact-specific investigations.
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