New York Ranks First For Payouts For Medical Malpractice

Laws

Serious and life-altering injuries can result because of a doctor’s negligent action or inaction.  Some mistakes can be deadly.  These injuries or deaths often lead to medical malpractice lawsuits, potentially resulting in settlements or judgments.  There are a significant number of hospitals and healthcare facilities that end up paying large awards to patients who have been injured or the grieving family members of patients who have died.

In an analysis of medical malpractice payouts made in 2012, it was shown that there were a total of 12,142 medical malpractice payouts in the United States.  Of all these payouts, five states made the majority of the payouts.  These five states were New York, Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, and Florida, making up a combined 48 percent of the total amount of medical malpractice payouts in the country.  The state of New York was the state that paid out the greatest amount in payouts at $763,088,259.  The majority of these payouts were for settlements (93%), while judgments were responsible for a very small percentage (5%).

The reasons for these medical malpractice lawsuits included diagnosis related allegations (33%), surgery related allegations (24%), treatment related allegations (18%), and obstetrics related allegations (11%).  Twenty percent of payments were accounted for by cases involving the failure to diagnose.  The severity of the injuries for these cases varied significantly, with 19 percent ending in significant permanent injury, 18 percent in a major permanent injury, and 31 percent resulting in death.

There are options for patients in New York who suffer an injury because of a medical error.  Depending on the patient’s case, the result could end in a payout or a favorable judgment.  If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or has died as a result of the negligence of a health care professional, you should contact an experienced Kingston medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible.

While compensation will not undo what has happened, it will send a message that mistakes of this type will not go without consequence, and will provide the patient with the money they need to go forward with any ongoing treatments that may be necessary.

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.

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