"Countering Stereotypes." Review of Medical Malpractice and the American Jury: Confronting the Myths about Jury Incompetence, Deep Pockets, and Outrageous Damage Awards, by N. Vidmar

Authors

Samuel R. Gross, University of Michigan Law SchoolFollow

Document Type

Review

Publication Date

1997

Abstract

The story of The Medical Malpractice Trial has a place in popular American legal culture, somewhere on the shelf with Killers Who Got Off on Technicalities. The plot is simple and tragic. The protagonist is the Doctor, a good man with a flaw: He tries too hard. In the process, he makes an innocent mistake or believes he can prevent the unpreventable. In any event, he fails and the Patient dies or is permanently injured. For this unintentional error the Doctor is crucified, by the vengeful anger of the Patient or her survivors, the avarice of the plaintiffs' lawyer, the smooth deceit of the plaintiffs' experts, and the ignorance of the jury.

Recommended Citation

Gross, Samuel R. "Countering Stereotypes." Review of Medical Malpractice and the American Jury: Confronting the Myths about Jury Incompetence, Deep Pockets, and Outrageous Damage Awards, by N. Vidmar. Judicature 81, no. 1 (1997): 36-8.