Characteristics of Medical Professional Liability Claims in Pediatric Orthopaedics

Medical malpractice is burdensome to practitioners, patients, and the US healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to perform an epidemiological analysis of the closed medical professional liability (MPL) claims in pediatric orthopaedics using data maintained by the Physician Insurers Association of America (PIAA), a trade association which collects information about malpractice claims for companies that collectively insure over 60% of physicians in private practice in the US. The PIAA registry of all closed MPL claims from 1985-2013 for orthopaedic surgery patients younger than 18 were retrospectively reviewed. The …