A study published in Orthopedics found orthopedic surgeons face a greater risk of being sued for medical malpractice compared to other medical specialists.
The researchers used the Westlaw legal database to analyze 81 state and federal jury verdicts and settlements related to medical malpractice in orthopedic surgery from 2010 to 2016.
Here are the key takeaways:
1. Spine surgery was litigated the most, with 21 cases, followed by knee surgery at 17 and hip surgery at 11.
2. Procedural error was cited 87.7 percent of the time as the reason for litigation, with negligence following at 71.6 percent.
3. The jury ruled in favor of the defendant in 61.7 percent of cases.
4. The mean plaintiff verdict payout was $3,015,872, and the mean settlement was $1,570,833.
5. Unnecessary surgery and surgery resulting in death most often resulted in a verdict in favor of the plaintiff.
6. The jury found favor of the orthopedic surgeon in most cases.