Table 2 Indemnity payout by adjudication status, 1985-2008
From: High and low-risk specialties experience with the U.S. medical malpractice system
Average indemnity payment | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plaintiff verdict | Defendant verdict | Plaintiff settlement | Dropped, withdrawn or dismissed | Arbitration, mediation | |
High-liability risk specialties | $504,318 | NA | $306,096 | NA | $317,741 |
Emergency medicine | $336,857 | NA | $245,925 | NA | $235,693 |
General surgery | $461,492 | NA | $242,864 | NA | $298,619 |
Obstetric & Gynecologic Surgery | $576,843 | NA | $376,800 | NA | $358,620 |
Radiology | $377,890 | NA | $255,952 | NA | $279,365 |
Low-liability risk specialties | $518,733 | NA | $256,513 | NA | $267,838 |
General and family practice | $421,712 | NA | $216,933 | NA | $272,569 |
Internal medicine | $565,375 | NA | $273,044 | NA | $259,368 |
Pediatrics | $676,754 | NA | $367,005 | NA | $276,459 |