Abstract:The author reviews several cases involving medication errors and advises that one way to make a malpractice case worse is to be accused of delay in informing the patient or family of the circum-stances. If fraud or intentional concealment is established, punitive damages may be awarded-which are not covered by malpractice insurance policies since this is an intentional act.[Nurs Manags 1998:29(1):22–23]