Malpractice awards are on the rise, but why?
One potential reason for higher malpractice verdicts is that plaintiffs' attorneys put off resolving high-dollar cases during the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed high-demand claims when courts returned to normal, Richard Henderson, senior vice president for TransRe, told Medscape.
Another reason could be that the COVID-19 pandemic made people angrier.
"People are angry at the healthcare system, and this anger manifests itself in [liability] suits," Bill Burns, vice president of research for the Medical Professional Liability Association, told Medscape.
Another reason may be third-party litigation financing, which refers to the practice of companies that are not related to a lawsuit providing capital to plaintiffs in return for a portion of the financial award.
"What this does is provide an additional financial backdrop for plaintiffs," Mr. Henderson told Medscape. "It allows them to dig in harder on cases. They can hold out for higher numbers, and if nothing else, it can prolong litigation."