‘TN accounts for 11 per cent of medical negligence cases’

Tamil Nadu accounts for 11 per cent of medical negligence cases filed in the country, said advocates. They were speaking at the Annual Medico Legal Review 2016, held in the city on Thursday.

The review, which was an overview of medical negligence cases hear before the National Consumer Commission in 2015, found that while Indian courts continued to be lenient and minimally interfering towards doctors, the average amount of compensation allotted to patients was increasing exponentially.

“The commercialisation of medical services may now being taken into account in granting compensation. Already, the amount of compensation granted is between Rs. 25 to 30 lakh. Commercialisation of medical services was a policy decision taken by the government of India — it has nothing to do with medical negligence. But this is the law,” said advocate Mahendrakumar Bajpai.

“Documentation is your friend,” an advocate told the doctors. “Courts generally accept medical records as sacred so ensure every thing is documented,” she said.

The Annual Medico Legal review found that Indian courts are still lenient towards doctors