Which term is NOT one of the four D's of malpractice?

• A. Diagnosis
• B. Duty
• C. Damages
• D. Direct Cause

Answer: (A)

The four D's used to establish malpractice liability are Duty, Breach, Direct Cause (Causation), and Damages. Duty means the professional owed the patient a standard of care. Breach is failing to meet that standard. Direct Cause shows that the breach directly led to harm, and Damages are the actual injuries or losses that resulted. Diagnosis is not one of these four elements, though it can play a role in a case if a misdiagnosis constitutes the breach or contributes to damages. So the term that isn’t part of the four D's is the one related to diagnosing. The other terms listed fit the framework because they correspond to the required elements: having a duty, a breach of that duty, causation linking the breach to harm, and the damages from that harm.