New York patients may be interested to learn that, according to a study published in the The New England Journal of Medicine, doctors who have been sued for malpractice are more likely to be named as a defendant in another malpractice lawsuit. The study found that, during the period in question, 1 percent of the physicians analyzed were involved in 32 percent of the claims that were paid.
The study period lasted between 2005 and 2014 and analyzed more than 66,000 paid claims. Approximately 84 percent of the 54,099 physicians involved only had one paid claim during the study period. The remaining physicians had more than one. About 4 percent of the physicians were considered to be claim-prone due to the fact that they had at least three paid claims. Researchers stated that, based on the study, there was a 24 percent chance that those physicians would end up with another paid claim within a period of two years.
It should be noted that the vast majority of physicians never have a paid claim in their career. Additionally, the risks of having multiple paid malpractice claims varied by specialties. However, being able to identify those who had multiple paid claims could lead to a solution when it comes to dealing with dangerous or careless doctors.
When a negligent doctor makes a mistake such as a misdiagnosis, a surgical error or a medication error, the patient can suffer serious harm, including a worsened condition and resulting high medical expenses. Those who have been harmed in such a way may want to discuss their situations with a medical malpractice attorney in order to determine how best to seek appropriate compensation for their losses.
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