1993•Annals of Internal MedicineRequires access
The Medical Malpractice System
Lynn G. Lagerquist
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Letters1 June 1993The Medical Malpractice SystemLynn G. Lagerquist, MDLynn G. Lagerquist, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-118-11-199306010-00026 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:The 21% payment rate in cases where physician care was defensible contradicts the conclusion that unjustified payments are probably uncommon. I propose an alternative analysis of the data. Exorbitant awards are commonplace and can exceed a physician's coverage. The litigation itself is an agonizing process that drags on for years. Juries do not understand medical problems, especially those that are difficult or complex, and their decisions are arbitrary. These forces frequently lead to token settlements, which maintain privacy and are much less expensive and risky than jury trials. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 June 1993Volume 118, Issue 11Page: 908-909 ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 1 June 1993 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1993 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...