How to Identify Medical Doctors That Have Malpractice Claims Against Them

Many people are concerned if they learn their doctor has been sued for malpractice.To avoid this, some prefer to find out if a doctor has had any legal troubles before making an appointment, but finding out this information can often be difficult for the average consumer. Try these four methods to determine if a doctor has ever been sued for malpractice.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask your doctor. While this may seem an unreliable way to determine if your doctor has been sued, the way he or she answers the question can often give you a clue as to whether you should investigate further. Remember, not all doctors that are sued for malpractice are guilty, and never having been sued is not an indicator of competence.

• 2

  Check with your state's medical licensing board. You can find contact information for your state board by using an online search engine. Once you have the correct address or phone number, you will need to supply basic information about your doctor, such as name, address and phone number.

• 3

  Call the county clerk's office in the county where your doctor practices. Ask if they have the information you're seeking or how you can find it.

• 4

  Search online. Try plugging your doctor's name into a search engine along with keywords such as "malpractice" or "suit." You can also use third-party sites such as http://www.docboard.org, or government sites such as the National Practitioner Data Bank (http://www.npdb-hipdb.com). However, these sites may not be completely reliable or comprehensive.