Risky States for Doctors: What You Need to Know About Medical Lawsuits in 2025

Imagine a doctor helps someone get better, but sometimes, things go wrong, and a patient might sue the doctor. This is called a medical malpractice lawsuit, and it’s a big worry for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. In 2025, some places in the U.S. are riskier for doctors because more lawsuits happen there, or the lawsuits cost a lot of money. Knowing about these risky states helps doctors get the right insurance to protect themselves.

Why Some States Are Riskier for Doctors

Some states are called high-risk for a few reasons:

• More Lawsuits: Lots of lawsuits happen in these states.
• Bigger Payouts: When a patient wins a lawsuit, they often get a lot of money. In 2023, the average amount paid out was $415,000 across the U.S., which is much more than ten years ago.
• Fewer Rules Protecting Doctors: Some states don’t have laws that limit how much money a patient can get, especially for things like pain and suffering. This can make the payouts even bigger.
• More Time to Sue: Patients might have a longer time to file a lawsuit in some states.
• Big Cities: States with many people and big hospitals, especially in cities, tend to have more lawsuits.

The Top 5 Riskiest States for Doctors in 2025

Based on recent information, here are the states where doctors face the most risk from lawsuits:

• New York: This state has had the most money paid out in lawsuits – over $6.2 billion from 2014 to 2023. They don’t have limits on how much money can be given for pain and suffering, which means very large payouts, sometimes called “nuclear verdicts” (like a $120 million payment for delayed stroke care). Cities like New York City have many lawsuits.
• Florida: In 2023, there were 1,668 cases here. Even though Florida recently tried to make it harder to sue by shortening the time limit to two years, big payouts still happen. Doctors who help deliver babies (OB/GYNs) in certain areas like Miami-Dade and Broward counties pay a lot for their insurance.
• Louisiana: This state has the most malpractice reports per person in the country. They have weaker laws to protect doctors from big payouts. Lawsuits often happen for surgical mistakes and wrong diagnoses.
• Illinois: This state also has many lawsuits and big payouts, especially in Chicago. Like New York, Illinois doesn’t have a firm limit on money for pain and suffering, leading to huge settlements like $50 million for a birth injury. General surgeons and OB/GYNs are at the highest risk here.
• Pennsylvania: This state recorded $3.176 billion in payouts from 2014 to 2023, including a $183 million payment for a delayed C-section. Their courts tend to favor patients, and many lawsuits happen here, making it the third highest in the country for claim numbers. Doctors who perform surgeries are especially at risk.

Other states like Georgia, Maryland, and New Jersey are also considered high-risk.

What Else Makes Lawsuits Risky?

Besides state laws, some other things make lawsuits riskier:

• No Payout Limits: When states don’t put a cap on how much money can be given for “pain and suffering,” payouts can be much larger. For example, Georgia used to have a limit, but it was removed, leading to bigger payouts.
• Lots of People: Places with many people, especially in big cities, often have more lawsuits because there are more patients and more lawyers.
• Type of Doctor: Some doctors are sued more often than others. For example, surgeons (about 9 out of 10 are sued at some point) and OB/GYNs (doctors who help deliver babies) face the most lawsuits because their procedures are often very complex.
• “Nuclear Verdicts”: These are really huge payments, over $10 million, and they became more common in 2023, especially in New York and Florida.

How Doctors Protect Themselves (Medical Malpractice Insurance)

To protect themselves from these big costs, doctors buy medical malpractice insurance. This insurance helps pay for legal fees and any money awarded to patients if a lawsuit happens. It’s super important because even if a doctor isn’t at fault, defending a lawsuit can cost around $40,000. If doctors don’t have insurance, they could lose their own money and even their ability to work in hospitals.

Here are ways doctors can manage these costs:

• Use a Broker: Brokers are like experts who help doctors find the best insurance deals from different companies, which can save them a lot of money, sometimes up to 20%.
• Get Discounts: Doctors can save money on their insurance by taking special courses on how to avoid mistakes, having a good record with no past claims, or being part of medical groups.
• Join Group Policies: Doctors who work together in a group practice or hospital can often get lower insurance rates.
• Keep Good Records: Writing down very good and detailed notes about patients and their care can help doctors defend themselves if a lawsuit happens.

Practicing medicine in these risky states means doctors need to be extra careful and always have strong insurance to protect their money and their jobs.