Should Patients Sign Arbitration Agreements?
They often unknowingly forfeit their right to sue doctors in courts of law.
W
hen a patient signs an arbitration agreement, he gives up
his right to a jury trial before the surgeon lays a hand on
him — and the surgeon dodges the prospect of a medical
malpractice lawsuit. But as an ongoing case out of North Carolina
shows, these agreements aren't as ironclad as they might seem.
2 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U L Y 2 0 1 7
Medical Malpractice
Devin O'Brien, JD
• DISTINCTIVE Make the arbitration agreement a clear and separate part of the intake process so patients know exactly what they're signing.
