Surprising Statistics of Malpractice Lawsuits

by Bill Tilley
President, Amicus Capital Services, LLC

As an attorney, you are no stranger to legal risk. Every day, you are reminded of the consequences that face business owners who are either negligent or uninformed. Unfortunately, plaintiff attorneys are often the ideal target for litigation.

Some of the statistics associated with malpractice lawsuits are surprising. Some are patently disturbing. But understanding them are the best way to protect yourself.

Here are some of the statistics every plaintiff attorney should know:

• Over a 30-yr legal career, the average lawyer is sued for malpractice three times.*
• In the US, there are over 35,000 claims for legal malpractice every year, 12,000 recover money.*
• Plaintiff Attorneys have been the most frequently sued category in every ABA study for 30 years.*
• One in 5 malpractice claims are against plaintiff attorneys.
• Plaintiff Attorneys are 539% more likely to be sued than the average specialty.*
• Issues associated with response deadlines are one of the leading causes of malpractice suits.**

As alarming as these statistics are, there are things you can do to protect yourself. When it comes to settlement planning and management, we can help.

For over 22 years we have helped attorneys with analysis, design and implementation of periodic payment packages in the resolution of personal injury and wrongful death litigation.

We are the industry leader in the design and implementation of innovative attorney fee structures relevant to class action, taxable damages and other non-traditional structured settlement cases.

To find out more about how we can help you navigate this surprisingly complex area of you practice, call today for a free consultation: 877-926-4287

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* Haskins, Paul and Kathleen Marie Evans, Profile of Legal Malpractice Claims, American Bar Association c. Sep. 2008

**4 Mallen, Ronald E. and Jeffrey M. Smith, Legal Malpractice 405 (2009 Ed.).