With the type of hype surrounding lawsuits against medical practitioners in South Africa, this is no longer restricted to the drama of television soap operas made in America, but has become more common-place here in South Africa.
With lucrative returns, lawyers are now actively pursuing claims against doctors and taking on more and more medical negligence claims. With an increase in the region of 18 percent in medical malpractice claims over the past decade or so it is no wonder this has become the place to be for attorneys in general. 
Public awareness of medical malpractice has made this type of litigation more commonplace than in the past worthwhile, therefore it is imperative that medical practitioners have the kind of cover that will protect them against any and all malpractice claims made against them.
The Medical Protection Society helps doctors with all legal problems. Presently there is a huge backlog of negligence complaints against many medical practitioners in South Africa. This does not bode well for medical practitioners in general, as there are no fewer than a thousand cases pending as we speak.
It was considered the “done thing” to sue plastic surgeons a while back but now more and more cases against gynaecologists are being made, with the latest South African settlement being no less than twenty seven million rand being made!! It is no wonder attorneys are looking more and more to the easy pickings of medical malpractice suits to line their pockets.
Very few doctors have that type of money to pay out for malpractice claims that is why it is so important to have doctors insurance should this case scenario crop up.
The Medical Protection Society of South Africa recommends that all medical practitioners take out medical business insurance to cover any malpractice suit that might occur, making this an absolute necessity.
It is simply not worth the risk of working towards a medical degree for years on end and then simply losing everything by not having the necessary type of cover that will protect you against such eventualities occurring. Humans make mistakes – but don’t let a mistake make you bankrupt!! Get medical practitioner insurance the moment you decide to practice being a doctor – a noble profession and one that should be protected at all costs. |
