Recent Medical Malpractice Trends

In 2012, the number of malpractice payments on behalf of doctors (9,379) was the lowest on record, falling for the ninth consecutive year. The value of payments made on behalf of doctors ($3.1 billion) was the lowest on record if adjusted for inflation. In unadjusted dollars, payments fell for the ninth straight year and were at their lowest level since 1998.

More than four-fifths of medical malpractice awards compensated for death, catastrophic harm or serious permanent injuries. Medical malpractice payments' share of the nation's health care bill was the lowest on record, falling to about one-tenth of 1 percent (0.11 percent) of national health care costs.

Medical liability insurance premiums fell to 0.36 of 1 percent of health care costs, the lowest level in the past decade.
Source: Public Citizen