Six things Doctors can do to Reduce their Risk of being involved in Medical Malpractice lawsuits | Donald Saelinger

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 90% of all medical malpractice lawsuits are brought by patients who have suffered permanent injury, or by those representing someone who has died as a result of malpractice. Here six points are discussed for doctors to reduce the risk of being involved in a medical malpractice lawsuit as:

1. Establish a good relationship with patients
Research shows that doctors who show basic interpersonal skills such as listening and respecting the patient’s wishes can be just as important as clinical skills in preventing lawsuits. It's often the case that doctors who are regarded as good by their patients get sued less often.

History of Medical Malpractice Lawsuits in America

The history of medical malpractice lawsuits in America dates back into the 19^th century. Prior to the early 1800's, medical malpractice was almost unknown in the United States. However, a large number of malpractice lawsuits inundated the courts between 1835 and 1865. Most of these medical malpractice lawsuits were based over joints mistreatment and about 70 to 90 percent of the litigation involved fractures and dislocations with imperfect results or deformities such as shortened or crooked limbs.