Ohio medical malpractice claims drop 20%

A new report from the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) says the number of medical malpractice claims in Ohio dropped 20% from 2005 to 2006, going from 5,051 claims to 4,006. (Source: "Report shows Ohio medical malpractice claims dropped," Associated Press, Jan. 22, 2008.) "The department attributed the drop to changes made by lawmakers five years ago as they tried to deal with growing concern about the number of claims and the size of jury verdicts. Some of those changes included caps on the amount of money injured patients could receive for pain-and-suffering, and attempts to restrict so-called frivolous lawsuits against doctors."

The report also states that the size of claims for which there was a payment rose from 2005 to 2006, going from an average claim or $269,374 to $288,080. Overall, four out of every five claims ended without a payment to the person making the claim. This is the second year ODI has completed the Ohio Medical Liability Closed Claim Report. Ohio law requires all entities that provide medical malpractice insurance in Ohio--including authorized insurers, surplus lines insurers, risk retention groups and self-insurers--to report closed claim data to ODI. (Source: Press release, ODI, Jan. 22, 2008.)