Medical malpractice lawsuits are turned to by thousands of people each year to try to make up for injuries that are the result of things done, or not done, by medical providers. The lawsuits may be filed by an injured patient, or in the alternative, when a patient dies, his or her loved ones. In addition to providing compensation to people who due to the injuries may be struggling financially, they also serve as a way to hold health care providers accountable for their actions or lack there of.

A report recently released by Diederich Healthcare's 2013 Medical Malpractice Payout Analysis, determined that last year, throughout the nation, $3.6 billion was paid to individuals who brought such lawsuits. Of that amount, close to half (48 percent) was paid to individuals in five states. Pennsylvania was one of those states. Pennsylvania actually came in second, behind New York, at $316,167,500. It was followed by California, New Jersey and Florida.

Payouts being made to plaintiffs in medical malpractice lawsuits throughout the nation have been declining over the course of the last 10 years. Compared to 2011, last year's were 3.4 percent less.

The claims being filed cover a variety of possible issues including misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose, problems involving surgical procedures, matters related to the treatment provided and obstetrics. The vast majority of the payments made were the result of a settlement. Only five percent of the payouts were the result of a judgment at trial.

Medical malpractice lawsuits are not the answer to every medical issue that arises. In some situations however, they may be exactly what an injured party or his or her family, needs.

Source: Clinical Advisor, "2012 malpractice payouts concentrated in 5 states," Ann W. Latner, JD, May 14, 2013