In New Hampshire, Medical Malpractice Screening Panels Under Review

From sister website NH Medical Malpractice News, is a post providing the number of cases that have come before New Hampshire's medical malpractice screening panels...

"... there have been some 387 cases brought to the attention of screening panels since 2007, with 147 resolved prior to panel review. Of the 240 remaining cases 87 were waived, 84 have been heard and 69 are pending as of Dec. 10. Only 18 medical malpractice cases have gone to a jury trial after panel review since 2007."

For the full article please see: The jury's still out on malpractice panels

In Montana, $1.7 Million Jury Award

The Missoulan reports via Associated Press article on a medical malpractice jury award of $1.7 million in a lawsuit filed by a family over the death of a father/husband that alleged his chest pain was misdiagnosed as a torn muscle, rather than a leaky heart valve. via share this

In Florida, $19.2 Million for Medical Error in Newborn

In Lee County Florida comes news of a medical malpractice lawsuit with a $19.2 million award filed by a family who's premature infant was given 100 times the intended dose of nutrients leading to cardiac arrest and complications believed to lead to cerebral palsy and blindness. See the report from Channel 2 RSW Florida below.


To read the full story, click on: Florida med mal.

Looking at Mediation Instead of Trial for Medical Malpractice Cases

NPR's Health Blog, Shots, carries a post briefly outlining some of the financial incentives of mediation v. trial for medical malpractice cases. Writes author Michelle Andrews:

"Plaintiff's lawyers typically work on a contingency basis in medical malpractice cases, earning about 30 percent of the settlement amount. Although there are no hard data, mediation settlements tend to be smaller than jury awards, say experts."

But, she adds, "there's no jury to convince, so the money's a sure thing, and they may get it years sooner than they would if the case went to trial."

To read the full post, please click on: Mediation v. Trial.