Page 64 - Anatomy of a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

SVMIC Anatomy of a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

to accept a sum less than the amount awarded in the

judgment.

This concludes our overview of the litigation process. As you
can see, medical malpractice lawsuits can be protracted

ordeals. Patience and preparation by the physician are vital to
survival.

Next, we are going to look at the emotional impact a medical

malpractice claim or lawsuit can have on a physician.

Emotional Impact

The negative effects a claim or lawsuit can have on a physician
from a mental and emotional standpoint have been confirmed

in numerous studies. ‘Litigation Stress Syndrome’, ‘Malpractice
Stress Syndrome’, and other terms have been coined to

identify the condition. The reactions to these litigation-related

syndromes can be akin to the biological, psychological, and
behavioral effects of post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

Merely being named in a lawsuit is a traumatic event. And as
our earlier litigation overview made clear, the legal process can

be an emotional roller-coaster ride, especially for the

uninitiated.

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