Puerto Rico Medical Malpractice Information

  • What is the average medical malpractice settlement in Puerto Rico?

    The average medical malpractice payment in Puerto Rico for 2022 was $64,250. Going back to 2004, the average malpractice payment in the database is $58,989.

  • How many medical malpractice settlements have there been in Puerto Rico?

    In 2022, there were 211 medical malpractice payments made in Puerto Rico. Among all of the various jurisdictions, this ranked number 16 out of 59 in terms of raw numbers, but when viewed in terms of claims per capita, Puerto Rico ranked number 4 of 59, which includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Armed Forces populations.

  • What is the most common type of medical malpractice claim in Puerto Rico?

    In Puerto Rico, the most frequent allegation reported in the database is "Improper Management." The second most frequent allegation is "Failure to Treat".

  • Which type of healthcare provider pays the most medical malpractice claims in Puerto Rico?

    Among all claims, the vast majority (about 70%) of the payments are associated with care provided by MDs. Puerto Rico is no exception. The second highest type of healthcare provider associated with malpractice claims in Puerto Rico is a dentist.

A few notes about this: The database only shows which claims were paid and does not include claims that were presented but rejected. Also, the database does not include payments by non-providers like health systems and hospitals. There are also some number of claims that go unreported each year. Finally, the information contained in the reports is self-reported by the providers, their insurance companies, and other provider representatives.
Puerto Rico Medical Malpractice Payment Amounts By Year
Puerto Rico Medical Malpractice Payments By Year

The Largest Medical Malpractice Payments for Puerto Rico (2004-2022)

YearStateAmountAllegationFull Report
2008Puerto Rico$3,450,000Failure to Diagnose
2008Puerto Rico$3,450,000Improper Management
2004Puerto Rico$1,050,000Failure to Monitor
2019Puerto Rico$1,050,000Failure to Diagnose
2005Puerto Rico$995,000Failure to Diagnose
2008Puerto Rico$995,000Improper Performance
2010Puerto Rico$995,000Wrong Medication Administered
2011Puerto Rico$995,000Failure to Identify Fetal Distress
2014Puerto Rico$995,000Failure to Diagnose
2022Puerto Rico$995,000Failure to Diagnose

Puerto Rico Statistics at a Glance

Average Payment (2004-2022): $58,989

Total Payments in Database (2004-2022): 4,566

Average Payment (2022): $64,250

Total Number of Payments (2022): 211

Rank in Average Payment (2022): 53

Rank in Number of Payments Per Capita (2022): 4 of 59 Jurisdictions

Most Common Allegation (2022): Improper Management

Most Common Allegation in 2021: Improper Management

Most Common Nature of Claim (2022): Treatment Related - 54% of all payments

Type of Provider with Most Payments: Physician (MD)

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