Free Consultations 24/7
Home > Blog > Do Doctors Pay ...
Medical malpractice is a scary thought for everyone in healthcare, including both providers and patients. Healthcare providers fear being accused of medical malpractice because of the legal, ethical, and psychological impact it can have, while patients fear being victims of medical malpractice because of the devastating outcomes it can have on their health.
When malpractice occurs, doctors rarely admit that they made mistakes due to negligence. And on the flip side, patients sometimes refuse to file claims against their doctors because they don’t want to burden them with the stress and financial loss of a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, it rarely works out that way.
A study by the American Medical Association found that around 34% of doctors have had at least one medical liability lawsuit filed against them at some point during their careers. By age 55, the percentage increases to 50%.
Because of the high likelihood that doctors will eventually get sued for medical malpractice, most choose to purchase or are required to purchase medical malpractice insurance policies by the hospitals and clinics where they work. The cost of medical malpractice policies varies among providers, with surgeons often paying the highest premiums.
While it’s true that doctors with medical malpractice policies often pay some or all of their premiums out of pocket, they usually don’t pay much, if anything, if they’re successfully sued for medical malpractice.
Doctors who work for hospitals and healthcare clinics are typically required to have active medical malpractice insurance policies to stay employed. But doctors who own their own practices or who work for clinics that don’t require malpractice insurance may go without.
Although this can save them a lot of money on insurance premiums, it also opens them up to personal financial liability if they’re successfully sued for malpractice.
In some cases, doctors who work for hospitals aren’t actually employed by them and are instead considered independent contractors. This is common for doctors who may work at hospitals only as needed or when called in for certain cases. These doctors aren’t covered under hospitals’ insurance policies and must purchase their own.
Many people have good relationships with their doctors that may go back years, even decades. They may know each other’s families and life stories. The idea of suing your doctor for malpractice and potentially harming them and their loved ones financially can be distressing.
However, medical malpractice victims typically incur huge costs themselves. In many cases, their existing injuries and illnesses may worsen due to ineffectual treatment, and they may develop new injuries and illnesses due to the malpractice. That means more medical bills, more pain and suffering, and more time away from work.
If this happened to you, filing a medical malpractice claim is often the best way to get the money that you and your loved ones need to tackle your financial worries and start moving forward with your lives.
Making the tough decision to sue your doctor, surgeon, specialist, or other healthcare provider for medical malpractice isn’t easy. It’s also only the first step towards getting compensation. Hospitals, healthcare facilities, and malpractice insurers are all ready to dig their heels in and fight when they’re on the hook for malpractice claims, making these lawsuits an uphill battle for most victims.
At Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy, our Cleveland medical malpractice attorneys have decades of experience, knowledge, and success under our belts when it comes to these difficult claims. We aren’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest healthcare facilities and insurers in the country if it means getting compensation for our clients.
Contact us today for a free consultation. We know what you’re going through, and we want to help.
Apr
18, 2024
Injuries caused by auto accidents are painful, expensive, and can even be life-altering. When victims survive car accidents, they want to believe that the worst is over. But for some, the medical and financial consequences are just beginning. Shock is not just a term for being surprised or upset. It is an actual medical condition […]
15, 2024
The widespread availability of fast internet access and camera-equipped laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones mean that telemedicine and virtual doctor appointments are more convenient, personal, and effective than ever before. These types of visits became more and more common during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and for many patients, they have continued to be […]
08, 2024
One of the most important aspects of being a doctor is accurately diagnosing patients with the diseases or illnesses they suffer from. Accurately diagnosing patients gives doctors a chance to come up with treatment plans to manage their patients’ symptoms and help them get better, including prescribing medications, recommending surgery, and creating lifestyle modifications. However, […]
01, 2024
When a bad outcome happens in medicine, whether it’s after a doctor prescribes a prescription drug or a surgeon completes an operation, it’s common for patients to wonder if they’re victims of medical malpractice. However, proving medical malpractice is notoriously difficult. That’s why many Ohio medical malpractice lawyers rely on the testimony of expert witnesses. […]
Mar
25, 2024
Even when maintained, set up, and operated safely, semi-trucks still pose risks to both their drivers and other drivers on Ohio’s roads. That’s because they outweigh the average passenger vehicle 20:1. Unfortunately, semi-trucks aren’t always hooked up properly or safely, and when they aren’t, devastating accidents can occur. One of the most dangerous events that […]
Accessibility Tools
