Medical professional liability claims for Mohs micrographic surgery from 1989 to 2011.

Importance: Few studies specifically address lawsuits involving Mohs surgery.

Objective: To better characterize the types of medical professional liability claims involving Mohs surgery.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Retrospective legal document review of an online national database.

Increased risk of litigation associated with laser surgery by nonphysician operators.

Importance: Controversy exists regarding the role of nonphysicians performing laser surgery and the increased risk of injury associated with this practice.

Objective: To identify the incidence of medical professional liability claims stemming from cutaneous laser surgery performed by nonphysician operators (NPOs).

Design, Setting, And Participants: Search of an online national database of public legal documents involving laser surgery by NPOs.

Common causes of injury and legal action in laser surgery.

Objective: To identify common causes of legal action, injuries, claims, and decisions related to medical professional liability claims stemming from cutaneous laser surgery.

Design: Search of online public legal documents using a national database.

Main Outcome Measures: Frequency and nature of cases, including year of litigation, location and certification of provider, injury sustained, cause of legal action, verdict, and indemnity payment.