When asked what they think when another doctor makes a "real" medical mistake, 41% of physicians responded that "some doctors are negligent and incompetent and it's fine to sue them." Another 8% responded that the "patient or the family is probably just trying to make money by suing a doctor." When asked whether they would sue another doctor who committed a medical error that harmed them, only a minority of physicians said they would sue, with anesthesiologists being the most likely to sue (26%) and OB/GYNs the least likely to sue (15%). These answers are best understood in the larger context of the survey, where doctors revealed a disdain for the legal system. Although we are long past the
Over the past decade, the Department of Veterans Affairs has paid out $871 million to settle medical malpractice cases against its healthcare facilities and providers. Payouts have trended upward in recent years, with payments of $230 million since 2014 with payouts in 2015 reaching the highest annual level ever. Since 2006, the VA has settled over 4300 malpractice claims with an average payment of approximately $200,000. The number of claims has increased since 2006, with 322 filed in 2006 and 541 filed in 2014.
