The Effects of Medical Malpractice

How much do doctors really know about the impact of medical malpractice? I noticed last week there was a letter to the editor in the Baltimore Sun, written by a doctor. The doctor opined that frivolous lawsuits and the cost of practicing defensive medicine were driving good doctors out of the state.

I read with interest the response letter from the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association. Apparently the original letter writer’s subjective beliefs weren’t borne out by the facts. Doctors aren’t fleeing the state, and there is no tide of needless litigation choking the courts.

Simple self-interest dictates that very few frivolous medical malpractice suits are filed. These kinds of cases are complex and generally require several very expensive expert witnesses to prove. No medical malpractice lawyer will put up that kind of money for a frivolous case.