Amount of Money Collected for Medical Malpractice Settlements in L.A. Increases

In a report that was released last week, it is stated that the amount of money Los Angeles County paid to settle medical malpractice lawsuits increase by a staggering 50% in the past two years. The news is quite startling as the number of medical malpractice cases filed in the county has decreased significantly.

A study from the Abaris Group, a Walnut Creek-based health care consulting firm, reported that Los Angeles County paid $8 million to settle cases involving medical malpractice in 2005. In 2007, the county paid $12 million.

According to the authors of the report, there are still outstanding claims for 2008 and 2009, so it was not possible to calculate the total amount of settlements for those years. However, the report found that the number of malpractice cases filed against area hospitals and clinics dropped from 354 in 2002 to 107 in 2009.  The authors believe this decrease may relate to patient safety efforts in the healthcare industry in general and at the Department of Health Services.

If you have been a victim of medical malpractice, become informed of your legal options by contacting our law office and speaking with a Phoenix personal injury attorney.