Citation

Wagner KD, Pollard R, Wagner RF. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 1993; 32(2): 462-465.

Affiliation

Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0425.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/00004583-199303000-00031

PMID

8444779

Abstract

A national survey was conducted to investigate malpractice litigation at United States child and adolescent psychiatry residency programs between 1981 and 1991. Fourteen percent of the directors of child and adolescent psychiatry reported at least one malpractice claim during this period. The highest percentage of lawsuits reported was in the northeast. Suicide and sexual abuse of latency age patients by other patients accounted for the most litigation. The mean monetary award was $167,000, and the largest award was $500,000 for discharge of a patient who killed his mother. There has been an increase in malpractice litigation during the past 10 years. Risk management strategies should be implemented to address areas of liability in child and adolescent psychiatry training programs.

Language: en