• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

ABOUT US RESOURCES TESTIMONIALS BLOG CONTACT US

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Find Your State
  • Find Your Specialty
  • Choose a Facility
  • Resources
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Request A Quote

What Is the Most Common Cause of Malpractice Suits Against Physicians

December 2, 2022

Doctor and her lawyer at a meeting for malpractice

Medical malpractice suits are more than an everyday occurrence. They can be devastating to both the patient and the physician being sued. As a healthcare provider, do you know the most common cause of this kind of litigation?

Let’s talk about possible malpractice claims and if you could be a target.

The Most Common Cause of a Malpractice Suit

The most common reason a person would file a malpractice suit against a physician is the perceived misdiagnosis of an injury, disease, or chronic condition. In other words, the doctor may have failed to diagnose a health problem, or if a diagnosis were developed, it was done so wrongly.

Accordingly, the subsequent treatment was delayed or incorrect altogether, resulting in death or injury to the patient. Alternatively, a particular treatment plan could be wrongly applied to a particular patient when the physician has misdiagnosed the individual’s health needs.

What the Plaintiff Must Prove

A malpractice suit is never a “your word against mine” situation. Instead, it is incumbent on the person and the attorney bringing the malpractice suit to show:

  • What happened to the patient as a result of the misdiagnosis
  • How a physician should have diagnosed the patient and how the patient should have been treated

Additionally, a physician can be held liable in a malpractice suit if it can be shown that another doctor would not have made the same kind of error given similar symptoms, medical history, and other factors considered in diagnosing a health problem. In other words, did the physician being sued to follow the accepted standard of care for a particular condition, treatment, or procedure?

Other Causes of Medical Malpractice Suits Against Physicians

While misdiagnosis is by far the most frequent reason for filing a malpractice suit, there are others as well, including:

  • Childbirth errors involving injury to the mother, infant, or both regarding medications, improper birthing procedures, poor prenatal care, and more
  • Surgical errors total more than 4,000 annually in the US, stemming from the incorrect use of anesthesia, leaving instruments within a body cavity, and others
  • Prescription medication errors involving the wrong drug, given via the wrong route, or at the wrong dosage

A large number of medical malpractice suits fall outside of the above categories. In fact, one of the biggest contributors to malpractice litigation is simply how many patients a physician sees and treats. The more patients are seen, the greater the risk of litigation becomes. Also, some cities–particularly highly populated ones–are legally riskier areas for a physician to practice.

Physicians Need the Right Medical Malpractice Insurance

To maximize your protection against potential malpractice litigation, consult the experienced team at eQuoteMD in St. Louis, MO. Our medical malpractice insurance network finds the right coverage for physicians in every state and all medical specialties. Learn what kind of coverage is best for you by requesting your free insurance quote.

For more information, call us today at (855) 823-5283, or request your quote online through our informative website. We’re here to give you the protection and peace of mind you deserve.

Filed Under: medical malpractice lawsuit Tagged With: Affordable Medical Malpractice Insurance, best physician malpractice insurance near me, Malpractice Insurance near me, medical malpractice near me

Primary Sidebar

Calendar

December 2022
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Nov   Jan »

Categories

  • Ask eQuoteMD
  • General
  • Malpractice Insurance
  • Malpractice Insurance Coverage
  • Medical Liability Insurance
  • Medical Malpractice
  • medical malpractice insurance
  • medical malpractice lawsuit
  • tail coverage
  • Uncategorized

Tags

Affordable Medical Malpractice Insurance best malpractice insurance California claims made coverage damage caps defensive medicine equotemd group medical malpractice insurance hipaa HITECH individual medical malpractice insurance judicial legal legislation liability malpractice malpractice insurance Malpractice Insurance Coverage malpractice insurance for doctors Malpractice Insurance near me malpractice insurance quote medical liability insurance medical malpractice medical malpractice coverage medical malpractice insurance medical malpractice insurance broker medical malpractice insurance companies medical malpractice insurance company Medical Malpractice Insurance for Family Medicine Medical Malpractice Insurance provider medical malpractice insurance providers medical malpractice lawsuit medical professional liability insurance news non-economic damages occurrence policy professional medical liability insurance research study tail tail coverage technology tort reform

Footer

eQuoteMD

BLOG

gavel next to a model of teethdental malpractice concept

Malpractice insurance is not just for physicians and nurses. Dentists also require this protection READ MORE

Law gavel stethoscope Health care business rules

When there is a case of patient injury due to medical error, misdiagnosis, professional negligence, READ MORE

Lawsuit form with a stethoscope on a desk

For more than a decade, medical malpractice insurance rates fell year after year from 2006 to 2018 READ MORE

FIND YOUR STATE FIND YOUR SPECIALTY CHOOSE A FACILITY

ABOUT US RESOURCES TESTIMONIALS BLOG CONTACT US

HOME ADA DISCLAIMER PRIVACY POLICY SITEMAP

Copyright © 2023 · eQuoteMD · All Rights Reserved

iHealthspot Medical Website Design and Medical Marketing by iHealthSpot.com

eQuoteMD provides medical malpractice insurance services in all states for all specialties.