Legal Risks in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The first defense against a medical malpractice lawsuit is avoiding the lawsuit altogether. The probability of being sued can be reduced through compassion and thorough attention to the patient. A proper response to an adverse event or bad result can be crucial to avoidance of later being sued. The content of the medical and hospital chart can support a defense or, at times, can imperil the defense of the physician being sued. Aggrieved patients can pursue multiple theories of liability against an obstetrician or gynecologist.