A new, interesting study was done by the North Carolina (NC) Trial Lawyer’s Association about medical malpractice cases in North Carolina (NC) courts. As an injury attorney handling these suits in Virginia (VA) and North Carolina (NC), I found this information important because it shows there is no medical malpractice crisis in North Carolina. From 1998 through 2006, North Carolinians filed an average of about 600 medical malpractice lawsuits each year. Obviously, this number is far lower than the number of North Carolina (NC) patients who are harmed by medical mistakes each year. During the past couple of years, the total number of lawsuits filed has actually been decreasing. Medical malpractice cases are less than half a percent of all civil cases in the North Carolina (NC) court system.Only four percent of the cases of medical malpractice in North Carolina (NC) courts went to a jury verdict. The other 96 percent of medical malpractice lawsuits were settled, dismissed or otherwise resolved without going the distance at trial. As is typical across the country, the plaintiffs only won 21 percent of the cases that went to a jury verdict in North Carolina (NC) medical malpractice cases. The median jury award in medical malpractices verdicts in North Carolina (NC) over the past 8 years is about $300,000.00.This compilation of data from the court system shows that there is no medical malpractice crisis in North Carolina (NC). In fact, the numbers are quite modest. However, insurance companies want the public to believe that there is some kind of major problem with the civil justice system as far as medical malpractice cases. This is not true in North Carolina (NC), Virginia (VA) or nation wide. In fact, many doctors have candidly admitted that the far greater number of medical errors are not even known to the patients and do not result in claims. If you have any questions about the underlying study by the North Carolina (NC) Association of Trial Lawyers, please contact Ms. Mackin at [email protected]Authored By: James C. Lewis