Over one million hospital patients will suffer an injury as the result of an a medical mistake. More than 180,000 die partly as the result of a medical mistake according to the Harvard Medical Practice Study.
Studies show that medical malpractice is more likely if a doctor has made mistakes in the past.
Doctors with many malpractice settlements are allowed to retain their licenses and hospital privileges. Doctors are not required to carry liability insurance to cover patients injured by a medical mistake. Doctors may perform surgery that was not authorized because of medical consent laws that protect doctors. A doctor may allow another person to perform surgery without the patient's consent. Medical mistakes usually go unreported.