Medical Malpractice #3

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CASES THROUGH THE YEARS

The first recorded instance of medical malpractice was in 1164 in England, when a doctor supposedly prescribed ‘unwholesome medicine’. This case was documented as Everad V. Hoskins.

Though this may have been the first documented Medical Malpractice case, Stratton V. Swanlond in 1374 was one of the first and most instrumental in laying the foundations and precedents for following cases, and many believed it to establish the first instance for a breach of care.

The defendant had a deformed hand, and was guaranteed by the physician that it would be fully repaired. She emerged from the extremely painful ordeal (without anaesthesia) with little to no repair on her hand, and filed for medical malpractice. The case established a relationship between the patient and the doctor, but was thrown out due to filing errors