A screening panel can affect your case value early, because it may shape whether a claim looks strong enough to settle, gets dismissed, or becomes more expensive to fight. When a panel reviews a medical malpractice claim before trial, its opinion can influence how insurers, hospitals, and lawyers evaluate the case. A negative review may make settlement harder. A favorable one can add pressure on the defense.

Technically, a screening panel is a pretrial group - often made up of a judge, a lawyer, and a physician or other medical professional - that reviews the facts of a malpractice case and gives a preliminary opinion about liability or the merits of the claim. In some states, panel review is required before a lawsuit can move forward. The panel usually does not enter a final judgment, but its findings may be admissible or may guide the next stage of the case.

For an injured patient, the practical effect is time, cost, and leverage. Panel review may require early expert witness support, medical records, and a clearer theory of causation before the case gains traction.

In New York, medical malpractice cases are not typically screened through the kind of mandatory pre-suit panel used elsewhere. New York's Judiciary Law § 148-a created medical malpractice panels, but cases today are more often managed through court supervision. In Brooklyn, for example, malpractice cases filed in Kings County Supreme Court are often assigned to a specialized part with judges experienced in these claims.