Legal aspects of cases of medical malpractice in Denmark.
A survey has been carried out of court rulings during the last decade in cases regarding patients' complaints about alleged medical malpractice. The character of the cases is described, both penal code/disciplinary cases and cases regarding compensation. A number of main themes is evaluated: the availability of case records to the patient; the possibility for patients to choose medical advisers; the lessening of the burden on patients to prove that physicians have been negligent; and the relaxation of the burden on patients to prove causality between the injury and the medical treatment given. These main themes are evaluated over time. The investigation should be seen in the light of the fact that Denmark has recently introduced a patient insurance scheme, and the study will be the starting point for a later evaluation of the importance of this scheme, with particular reference to an improvement in patients' rights.
Segest
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D001294:Attitude to Health; D003625:Data Collection; D003718:Denmark; D006801:Humans; D007351:Insurance, Liability / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*