Connecticut Mutual Professor of Law Tom Baker has written a new book entitled “The Medical Malpractice Myth”, intended to dissolve the myths circulating the general public regarding medical malpractice and liability insurance costs. Baker has spoken of his new book for the congressional staff, stating that “the real problem is too much medical malpractice, not too much litigation. Most people do not sue, which means that victims – not doctors, hospitals, or liability insurance companies – bear the lion’s share of the costs of medical malpractice.”
His new book covers many important facts concerning the false preoccupation America has with medical malpractice, some of which include:
- Medical errors and negligence kill up to 100,000 Americans a year.
- Medical malpractice insurance premiums rise and fall because of the “boom-and-bust” nature of the insurance underwriting cycle.
- Malpractice suits are rare relative to the number of people killed by medical negligence.
- There are more doctors per capita than ever before.
- The average physician paid less than $12,000 for medical malpractice insurance in 2003.
- So-called “tort reforms” have a detrimental impact on patient safety.
As time goes on, we are sure to find more and more evidence against such measures taken by doctors and insurance companies as medical malpractice caps, tort reforms, and other violations of public safety and well-being. If you would like to find more information, or have suffered from medical malpractice, please feel free to contact a personal injury lawyer such as Laurie Robbins of Robbins and Associates, PC in Atlanta, Georgia.
