Medical Liability Claims against Nurse Practitioners Are on the Rise

​Payouts from medical liability claims against nurse practitioners (NPs) are rising, according to a new report from the Nurses Service Organization and CNA Insurance. The average payout on the 287 closed claims against NPs that were settled for more than $10,000 from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016, was $240,471. In a 2012 report, the average payout was $186,282. Neonatal and obstetrics malpractice claims in particular frequently led to high settlements against NPs. Neonatal claims accounted for just 1% of the studied claims, but they averaged $630,411 paid indemnity.