Certificate of Merit, Venue-Shopping Rules Prompt 10-Year Decline in PA Med Mal Cases

Medical malpractice cases filed in Pennsylvania declined by 43% from 2002 to 2013, with an even more significant decrease seen in Philadelphia courts, according to data released by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC). According to AOPC, 1,546 medical malpractice cases were filed in Pennsylvania civil courts in 2013, a slight increase over the 1,510 filings in 2012 but still down 43% from the period of 2000 to 2002. AOPC and a July 2, 2014, Lebanon Daily News article cite two rules enacted by the state supreme court in 2002 as contributing to the decline.