Recently, Diederich HealthCare has revealed detailed data with regards to medical malpractice lawsuits and the amounts of dollars that have been paid out throughout the year 2012, both nationally and in the State of Florida. This information was gathered through the National Practitioner Data Bank, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Evidently, the information was gathered for the benefit of the healthcare profession, physicians and their medical support. The data reveals that nationally, approximately 3.6 billion dollars were paid for malpractice claims, covering just slightly over 12,000 claims (averaging approximately $290,000.00 per claim). The research indicates that between 1998 until 2001, malpractice claims increased by 46% but that there has been an almost consistent decline since 2003; and that last year demonstrated a 3.4% decrease in payments made than in 2011.
It seems that most of the claims were equally split between in-patient and out-patient occurrences. That interestingly, five states comprised almost 50% of all the national pay-outs in medical malpractice claims – ranging from over 763,000 million dollars in the state of New York then dropping to 316 million dollars in Pennsylvania, California representing approximately 223 million dollars; New Jersey claims consisting of approximately 207 million dollars and then lastly Florida coming in at approximately 204 million dollar payouts.
The other noteworthy statistical finding was that only 5% of all the payments were from judgments and that over 90% of all monies paid were as the result of settlements. 31% were as a result of a wrongful death claim. More than 88% of all claims ranging from significant permanent injury or death (including brain damage and life-long care claims), less than 1% came for an insignificant injury and 1% was recorded as being from “emotion injury only”.
This information is in sharp contrast to the insurance and health care industries representations and propaganda that they disseminate to either support a raise in their own income, looking for unwarranted tort reform to curtail more essential victim’s rights or otherwise alter the justice system.
For further information please free to contact the Medical Malpractice Attorneys at the Schulman Law Group at 954-349-3300, 1-877-529-0444 or at info@www.schulaw.com
