May 15, 2012

Medscape (5/15) reports, “Results of a new study of medical malpractice claims offer a mix of reassurance and sobering reality.” The study found that “55.2% of medical malpractice claims that required some defense cost led to litigation,” though “most are ultimately decided in the physician’s favor.” Yet it also found that “litigated claims often take months or years to be resolved.” The study was based on “data from all 50 US states for the years 2002 through 2005” including “10,056 malpractice claims that necessitated some defense costs.”