Can a doctor continue practicing medicine if he or she has been sued for malpractice?
Yes. An estimated one in three doctors will be sued for medical malpractice at some point in their careers. In fact, in a study of physicians over the age of 55, around one-half report that they have been sued. The practices that see the most medical malpractice cases are general surgeons and obstetrician-gynecologists.
Being sued for medical malpractice does not generally affect the doctor’s license to practice medicine. In fact, a doctor usually only loses a license to practice medicine if that doctor’s malpractice constitutes severely reckless, prolonged conduct. These are determinations that would be made by the state medical board, not through a civil lawsuit.