Did you know that approximately 10% of the deaths that occur in the United States happen as a result of medical malpractice? It happens more than you think! One of the more common types of medical malpractice cases involves misdiagnosed conditions, such as infections, heart attack, heart disease, blood clots, or tumors.
From 2009 to 2018 alone in the United States, the average number of medical malpractice cases reported each year was 12,414. In fact, it’s estimated that more than a quarter of a million people in the United States die each year due to medical errors, making medical malpractice the third leading cause of death in America.
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Types of Medical Malpractice
Misdiagnosed Conditions
- Infection
- Heart attack
- Heart disease
- Blood clots
- Tumors
Medication Errors
- Wrong medication
- Incorrect dosage
- Failure to notice harm from drugs
Surgical Errors
- Performing the wrong operation
- Damaging nerves during surgeries
- Failure to control bleeding
- Performing an unneeded operation
- Knowingly using defective equipment
- Leaving surgical equipment inside the patient
Pregnancy and Childbirth Errors
- Nerve injuries to the baby during delivery
- Surgical errors during C-section delivery
- Failure to stop very long labor
- Failure to monitor or recognize gestational diabetes
- Misdiagnosis of placental abnormalities
Medical Malpractice Total Payouts by State, 2009-18
- New York: $7,025,400,000
- Pennsylvania: $3,416,200,000
- Florida: $2,488,100,000
- New Jersey: $2,479,100,000
- California: $2,453,200,000
- Illinois: $2,291,100,000
- Massachusetts: $1,612,200,000
- Georgia: $1,097,800,000
- Maryland: $993,110,000
- Texas: $945,920,000
- Ohio: $796,870,000
- Connecticut: $746,630,000
- Arizona: $703,470,000
- Michigan: $697,320,000
- Virginia: $694,870,000
- Indiana: $638,460,000
- Missouri: $631,110,000
- Washington: $610,170,000
- Louisiana: $605,480,000
- North Carolina: $461,110,000
- Tennessee: $454,760,000
- Colorado: $424,120,000
- Oregon: $423,540,000
- Kentucky: $408,940,000
- Oklahoma: $393,040,000
- South Carolina: $364,850,000
- New Mexico: $329,160,000
- Minnesota: $314,280,000
- West Virginia: $297,080,000
- Alabama: $273,560,000
- Kansas: $258,620,000
- Rhode Island: $243,420,000
- Iowa: $241,040,000
- Wisconsin: $240,440,000
- New Hampshire: $238,430,000
- Utah: $236,600,000
- Nevada: $207,350,000
- Arkansas: $204,610,000
- Maine: $196,180,000
- Mississippi: $181,300,000
- Hawaii: $139,930,000
- Nebraska: $135,300,000
- Idaho: $120,320,000
- Montana: $119,690,000
- Delaware: $103,350,000
- Alaska: $76,120,000
- South Dakota: $60,190,000
- Wyoming: $51,930,000
- Vermont: $44,740,000
- North Dakota: $28,350,000
Where Were the Most Malpractice Cases?
From 2009 through 2018, the most medical malpractice cases occurred in New York, which had 16,688 reported cases. Following the Empire State were California (13,157) and Florida (10,788). The lowest number of medical malpractice cases was reported in North Dakota, which had 126 in total during this time period.
Which Practitioners Have the Most Claims Made Against Them?
During this same time frame, some occupations in the medical field had it more difficult than others when it came to the number of medical malpractice reports. These ten occupations had more reports to deal with than any others from 2009 through 2018:
- Physician (MD): 85,938 reports
- Dentist: 14,510 reports
- Physician (DO): 7,343 reports
- Nurse (registered nurse): 3,466 reports
- Nurse (advanced practice nurse): 3,036 reports
- Podiatrist: 2,416 reports
- Physician assistant: 1,801 reports
- Chiropractor: 1,699 reports
- Therapist/counselor: 613 reports
- Pharmacist: 533 reports
Here are some other facts to know about medical malpractice cases:
- By the age of 65, it’s estimated that 99% of physicians will face at least one medical malpractice lawsuit.
- Most medical malpractice cases take two years to resolve, according to a 2017 study.
- The average physician spends more than 10% of their career dealing with litigation.
- Since 2009, more than $38 billion has been paid out to victims of medical malpractice.
- From 2009 to 2018, the average payout for medical malpractice claims was $309,908.
Parker Waichman also specializes in cerebral palsy malpractice and Steven Johnson syndrome injury lawsuits.
