99% Of Potential Medical Malpractice Victims Never File a Claim!
Almost 100,000 Medical Mistakes Each Year in Canada
The Canadian Medical Association has determined that over 87,000 patients in Canada suffer an adverse event (medical error or mistake) each year.
The same study determined that more than 24,000 people die each year due to medical errors.
That is more than 100,000 potential medical malpractice claims in Canada every year!
Role of the CMPA
In Canada, most doctors are defended by a single organization, the Canadian Medical Protection Association (the C.M.P.A.).
Between 2002 and 2006 the C.M.P.A. reported that only 5,246 were filed against doctors in Canada. About 1,000 claims per year.
That means that out of 100,000 potential medical malpractice claims, 99% of potential medical malpractice victims never even filed a claim!
Their appears to be a perception that people are becoming more litigious, filing more lawsuits, and making frivolous claims. These statistics tell the real truth, that most potential victims of medical malpractice never receive compensation for their injuries.
Even if an injured patient or one of their family members decides to bring forward a claim, they face odds that can seem insurmountable. The C.M.P.A. has almost 3 billion dollars in assets that they can use to hire the best experts and lawyers that money can buy to defend malpractice claims.
70% of Claims Dismissed or Abandoned
According to the C.M.P.A.’s annual reports more than 70% of medical malpractice lawsuits are dismissed or abandoned before trial because the victim or their family quit, ran out of money, or died before trial.
Doctors Win 80% of Trials
Of 577 cases that went to trial over the last several years, only 121 resulted in a verdict for the victim. In other words, only 20% of medical malpractice plaintiffs who went to court actually won their trial.
Medical malpractice claims are among the most complicated, expensive and risky types of litigation. If you think you or a family member may have been a victim of medical malpractice you owe it to yourself to get the advice of a experienced medical malpractice lawyer before deciding whether or not to pursue a claim.
If you or a loved one have suffered injuries that you think may be due to medical malpractice you can contact me through this blog or by calling toll free 1-877-423-2050 for a free copy of my book: The Consumer’s Guide to Medical Malpractice Claims in Canada: Why 98% of Canadian Medical Malpractice Victims Never Receive a Penny in Compensation.
