THE MYTH OF FRIVOLOUS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CASES

As the old saying goes, If you repeat something often enough people will assume it must be true. Americans have repeatedly been told by no less a source than the President of the United States that the courts are flooded with frivolous medical malpractice cases that have driven up the cost of medical care and health insurance. The typical uninformed citizen might be justified in assuming that this must be true. After all, we have heard this message frequently during political campaigns and in each of the presidents State of the Union addresses. However, a January 2007 report by Public Citizen Congress Watch found that the overwhelming majority of medical malpractice cases are not frivolous, that insurance companies continue to reap huge profits, that the number of medical malpractice cases has decreased over the past several years, that the largest payments have been made to those who have suffered the most serious injuries, that most medical errors do not result in lawsuits, and that a small percentage of physicians account for the majority of cases where payments are made. To those of us who represent clients in the field of medical malpractice, this comes as no surprise. At Gary A. Zucker & Associates, P.C., we consult with appropriate medical specialists before commencing a lawsuit. We provide these specialists with all of the relevant medical records and obtain an opinion as to whether the treatment conformed with accepted standards of care. This allows us to identify the responsible parties before the lawsuit is commenced and, importantly, provides our attorneys with a clear understanding of the relevant medical issues. If you believe that you or a loved one have been injured as a result of medical malpractice, call our attorneys at Gary A. Zucker & Associates, P.C. or go to our website at www.gazassociates.com.