AMA Research on Claims Shows ‘Broken’ Medical Liability System

New research shows the persistent risk of lawsuits and high medical liability insurance premiums have created a long period of heavy financial burden on doctors and escalating expenses in healthcare.

The research from American Medical Association shows many physicians face a significant risk of being sued during their careers.

Related: Report: Allegations Related to Diagnoses Most Common in Malpractice Claims

According to the AMA, a claim does not mean a mistake was made. Most cases don’t find fault with the physician, and the majority are dropped or dismissed before trial.

In the first of two research reports, the AMA studied medical liability claim frequency among patient care physicians in the U.S. between 2016 and 2024.

The findings show the risk of being sued increases with years in practice. Nearly half (45.2%) of physicians aged 55 and over had been sued, compared to 11% of physicians under the age of 45.

Related: Review Shows Diagnosis and Treatment Issues Drive Claims in Cardiology

Surgical specialties carry the highest risk. Nearly three-in -five (59.6%) obstetricians & gynecologists and about half (53.1%) of general surgeons have been sued at least once in their career, the report shows.

In a second research report, the AMA studied annual changes in medical liability insurance premiums between 2016 and 2025 and found that premiums for liability insurance have increased nationwide for the seventh consecutive year, the most prolonged upward trend since the early 2000s.

According to that report, the trend in sustained premium growth began after 2018. The share of premiums that increased year-over-year rose from 13.7% in 2018 to 39.9% in 2025.

In 2025, 36 states saw at least one premium increase, and 18 states had at least half of their reported premiums rise. Premiums in California are lower than in other states, attributed to caps on non-economic damages, according to the report.