Medical Malpractice Statistics | 2025 Update

Imagine placing your unwavering trust in a healthcare professional—someone entrusted with the profound responsibility of safeguarding your health and well-being.

Each year, countless individuals find themselves facing the harrowing aftermath of medical malpractice, a hidden epidemic that impacts more lives than most realize.

The systems designed to protect us sometimes falter, leading to preventable harm. Despite the advances in modern medicine, errors can occur more frequently than we might expect. 

The prevalence of these incidents, often hidden behind the walls of hospital rooms and operating theaters, calls for a deeper examination of how frequently these errors occur and what remedies a victim has in their aftermath.

Furthermore, knowing what percentage of medical malpractice cases are won can provide crucial insight into the likelihood of achieving justice, highlighting the challenges in holding negligent parties accountable.

Read on to learn more about medical malpractice statistics and how these statistics have changed in 2025.

What Is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider’s negligence conduct harms a patient. This malpractice manifests in various ways, often with severe or fatal consequences. Here are some common examples of medical malpractice:

• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. A healthcare provider failing to identify a medical condition correctly or delaying diagnosis can have dire consequences. For example, if a doctor misinterprets a patient’s symptoms as benign when they indicate a serious condition like cancer, the delay in treatment can significantly worsen the patient’s prognosis.
• Surgical errors. Mistakes made during surgery, like performing the wrong procedure or leaving a foreign object inside a patient, are classified as medical malpractice and can lead to severe complications, extended recovery periods, or even death. For example, a surgeon leaving a sponge inside a patient’s abdomen can lead to infection and additional surgeries.
• Medication errors. Incorrectly prescribing or administering medication has serious consequences. For instance, if a doctor prescribes a drug that interacts negatively with another medication taken by a patient or prescribes an incorrect dosage, it results in severe adverse effects or even death.
• Birth injuries. Errors occurring during labor and delivery may lead to significant injuries to both the mother and the child. Improper use of delivery tools or failing to recognize signs of fetal distress are examples of how medical malpractice can affect birth outcomes, resulting in lifelong disabilities for a child.

Consulting a Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer is crucial if you find yourself a victim of medical malpractice.

These legal professionals can handle the complexities of medical malpractice cases and provide guidance tailored to your situation.

The Stark Reality of Medical Malpractice Statistics

Medical malpractice is more prevalent than many may realize, with significant implications for public health. According to recent data, medical errors are a leading cause of death in the United States.

The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and other research organizations offer crucial insights into how often these errors occur. The frequency of medical malpractice claims reflects a systemic issue within the healthcare system.

Recent estimates suggest that approximately 1 in 10 patients will experience some form of medical error. This statistic underscores the importance of vigilance and the need for improved medical practices.

The frequency of medical malpractice claims indicates the broader issues affecting patient safety and healthcare quality. Medical errors can contribute significantly to mortality rates and highlight the urgent need for systemic reforms.

Medical malpractice affects approximately 250,000 individuals nationally each year. This figure illustrates the issue’s scale and emphasizes the necessity for increased scrutiny and oversight within the healthcare industry.

Current Medical Malpractice Statistics and What They Reveal

In 2024-2025, the landscape of medical malpractice continues to be a grave concern, with statistics reflecting the severity and complexity of the issue:

• Medical malpractice deaths per year. Estimates suggest that between 250,000 and 400,000 deaths occur annually due to medical errors. This statistic places medical errors among the top three leading causes of death in the United States, alongside heart disease and cancer.
• The percentage of successful medical malpractice lawsuit statistics. The success rate in medical malpractice lawsuits varies significantly from case to case, with recent data indicating that approximately 30% to 40% of medical malpractice cases result in a favorable outcome for the plaintiff. This statistic underscores the challenges of proving malpractice, as these cases often require substantial evidence and expert testimony to establish negligence and causation.

A Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer is ready to help you. If you believe you have grounds for a medical malpractice claim, speak to an attorney and explore your options. 

For the latest and most accurate statistics, refer to the following sources:

• National Practitioner Data Bank,
• The National Institutes of Health, and
• American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys.

These resources provide valuable insights into the prevalence of medical malpractice and the challenges faced by individuals seeking justice.

Statistics on Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is a critical issue affecting thousands of individuals annually, often with profound and lasting consequences.

These statistics reveal a disturbing reality, emphasizing the need for greater awareness, enhanced medical practices, and more robust legal recourse for victims.

Understanding the prevalence of medical errors and the complexities involved in pursuing a malpractice lawsuit helps individuals navigate the healthcare system and seek appropriate legal remedies if harmed.

If you or a loved one has been affected by medical malpractice, consulting with a knowledgeable attorney can be crucial to seeking justice and achieving a sense of closure.

The fight against medical malpractice is not just about individual cases; it’s about ensuring a safer and more accountable healthcare system for everyone.

Choosing a Maryland Medical Malpractice Attorney

Medical malpractice law deals with the complex issues of mistakes, negligence, or wrongdoing by a medical professional or facility.

These lawsuits involve negligent care, treatment, errors, mistakes in medical procedures or surgeries, failure to diagnose, medication mistakes, inadequate credentialing, training, or supervision, and lack of informed consent.

These cases often have lasting impacts on the quality of life of a victim and can even result in death. The attorneys at Brockstedt Mandalas Federico understand how difficult it is to pick up the pieces of your life and attempt to move forward.

Being harmed by a healthcare provider not only leaves physical effects, but also psychological and emotional trauma. Our legal team has the trial-tested expertise and results-driven mindset to take on the complexities of your case.

We are ready to assess the facts of your case, including the statute of limitations, relevant evidence, the standard of care applicable to the medical professionals providing the treatment, and any pre-existing health issues.

Our team has helped clients recover damages to help them move ahead in a positive direction. We have recovered millions on behalf of victims when they need it most.

Our dedicated medical malpractice litigators can help you and your family get the justice you need and deserve. Contact us today by phone or email to learn more about Brockstedt Mandalas Federico.

Phil Federico

Phil Federico is a partner at Brockstedt Mandalas Federico where he helps lead the Mass Tort / Class Action and Environmental Law practices, transitioning into these areas after beginning his career as a medical malpractice litigator.

Phil has led and been involved in historic and groundbreaking litigation with verdicts and settlements exceeding one billion dollars.

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