Florida’s laws are purposely designed to protect doctors and hospitals and not patients. For instance, sadly doctors in Florida are permitted to practice medicine without medical malpractice insurance.Florida Statutes govern under what circumstances a doctor or hospital can be sued for their mistakes.
Florida Statutes provides that claims for medical malpractice must be initiated within two years from the date that the incident is or should have been discovered and no more than four years from when the mistake happened. This is commonly referred to as the Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice.
If, however, a doctor or hospital hides the mistake from the patient the time is extended an additional two years but no more than seven years from the mistake. This allows and even encourages some unscrupulous health care providers to hide or conceal their mistakes in the hope that the patient never discovers them.
