Medical negligence can be a confusing topic, especially if this is the first time you’ve heard of it. Essentially, negligence is when a plaintiff claims the defendant caused harm to them by breaching a duty of care. A classic example of this is medical negligence, perhaps informing the patient with the wrong advice, which later caused them harm.

Nonetheless, medical claims are not the only form of negligence; others include corporations being held accountable for negligible decisions, vehicle accidents, and other general malpractice claims.



Medical negligence exists across all healthcare roles

Whether you’re a doctor, nurse, physician, or healthcare advisor, you are in a position of power over your patient. More specifically, you’re recognized as an expert in your industry – others rely on your advice for their health and well-being. 

If you give the wrong advice, fail to research the latest practices, or perhaps cause physical harm to a patient, even if this was by accident, then you may face a litigation process. Therefore, it’s essential, as a healthcare professional, in whatever capacity, that you remain up to date on the latest practices and research, informing your patients of the most accurate advice possible.

Despite this, even the best doctors may face medical negligence litigation, whether an accident occurred, or perhaps the claim is not legitimate. Even so, medical negligence or malpractice insurance is necessary to protect your license and livelihood, even if you are not to blame for the negligent incident. 

Litigation can be expensive… even if you win 

Litigation can be expensive, even if you go to court, and the claim resides in your favor. Lawyers and expert advice is not cheap; in fact, it can rack up quite the bill – just look at divorce expenses, for instance. 

Purchasing medical negligence insurance, also known as malpractice insurance, financially covers you and your practice in the event of litigation or a claim against you or your healthcare practice.

To conclude

Medical negligence is becoming more and more common. Therefore, purchasing malpractice insurance is essential, saving you the financial trouble and burden that litigation processes may bring, should you face such a case.

To find out more about medical malpractice insurance, including the professional insurance plans packages, click here