Public Citizen Report Finds Medical Malpractice Payments at Record Low in 2010

Despite calls for medical malpractice litigation reduction, payments made to litigants and rising malpractice insurance costs do not account for increases in healthcare costs, according to a new report published by Public Citizen.

The report analyzed trends in medical malpractice data between 1991 and 2010 and found that medical malpractice payments in 2010 were at a record low. The report also noted that most of the awards were given for substantial injuries or death, rather than for frivolous claims. Specifically, the report states that “the crisis is over the epidemic of medical errors, not over the relatively rare compensatory payments,” as the number of payments made falls far below estimates of potential payments for serious medical injuries that could have been avoided.