The "fix" is in: legal and malpractice standards regarding the treatment of athletic injuries.

You are the physician. You are licensed to diagnose and treat physical injuries. But, when it comes to treating athletic injuries, the rules seem to change.

An analysis of orthopaedic liability in the acute care setting.

The risk of litigation in the emergency room is not directly proportional to the severity of injury. In fact, the risk of initiation of legal action is greater in cases of relatively modest permanent and partial disability. In these cases, failure to obtain and document informed consent, failure to effectively communicate with the patient and family, and failure to assure followup and prompt assessment of complications are the factors that have most frequently led to litigation.