New Study Shows Courts Not Clogged With Frivolous Medical Malpractice Lawsuits. May 11, 2006 New research published in the May 11 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine establishes that almost every medical malpractice suit filed in the United States has a meritorious basis and rejects claims that the civil justice system is inundated with frivolous lawsuits.

Medical negligence (also known as medical malpractice) errors are responsible for 98,000 wrongful deaths each year. More people die from medical mistakes than from all car accident deaths. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Science recently reported that 1.5 million Americans are injured or killed by medication errors annually. The studies indicate that approximately 400,000 preventable drug-related injuries occur each year in hospitals. Another 800,000 occur in long-term-care settings, and roughly 530,000 occur among Medicare recipients in outpatient clinics.

If you or a loved one have been injured, make sure you are aware of your rights.