LETTER
The Medical Malpractice System
Lynn G. Lagerquist
1 June 1993 | Volume 118 Issue 11 | Pages 908-909
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.
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