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I.Q. -- Interesting Quote

Editorial Staff

The High Cost of Medical Practice

The number of malpractice cases has been spiraling upward at an unprecedented rate, and medical doctors are feeling the crunch. The following quote demonstrates that the AMA has been compiling data on malpractice costs:

"The median medical malpractice award last year rose 40% over 1994 returning to the record setting half-million dollar level of 1993. In addition, juries awarded million dollar awards in 35% of the cases, which is up from 27% in 1994.

"Despite the high-dollar awards, 70% of all claims filed against physicians never result in any payment to the plaintiff, according to the Physician Insurers Assn. of America. In addition, 80% of the cases that go to trial are won by the defendant.

"Long odds, however, haven't stopped patients from filing suit. Lawsuit filings against physicians are up by 11.4% since 1993, according to the American Medical Assn."

One wonders to what extent this trend will affect the chiropractic profession.

Reference

Personal Injury Awards Rise. Business Insurance, January 8, 1996.

November 1996
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