Sources and method – Patients & Treatment Errors

All statements come from legal texts and from the websites of public authorities, chambers and consumer advocates. Uncertain points are named openly below.

List of sources

1. Bundesministerium der Justiz (Federal Ministry of Justice), Gesetze im Internet: BGB §§ 195, 199, 203, 204, 253, 630a, 630b, 630c, 630d, 630e, 630f, 630g, 630h, 1827; SGB V §§ 13, 27b, 39, 66; SGG § 84. Retrieved 20 September 2026.
2. Gesetz zur Änderung des Behandlungsvertragsrechts, BGBl. 2026 I Nr. 28, promulgated on 3 February 2026, in force since 6 February 2026 (§§ 630f, 630g, 630h BGB).
3. Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss (G-BA, Federal Joint Committee), page "Zweitmeinung" (g-ba.de/themen/qualitaetssicherung/vorgaben-zur-qualitaetssicherung/zweitmeinung/). Retrieved 20 September 2026.
4. Gutachterkommissionen und Schlichtungsstellen der Ärztekammern (expert commissions and arbitration boards of the medical chambers), page "Verfahren" (aerztekammern-schlichten.de). Retrieved 20 September 2026.
5. Stiftung Unabhängige Patientenberatung Deutschland (UPD), page "Telefonische Beratung" (patientenberatung.de). Retrieved 20 September 2026.
6. Verbraucherzentrale (consumer advice centre), "IGeL: Ihre Rechte als Patient:in". Retrieved 20 September 2026.
7. Medizinischer Dienst Bund, Behandlungsfehler-Begutachtung, Jahresstatistik 2024 (md-bund.de). Retrieved 20 September 2026.

Uncertain and open points

• Burden of proof: that the patient must in principle prove the treatment error, the harm and the causal link, and that § 630h BGB contains exceptions, is derived here from the structure of the provision and is not backed by a separate source.
• Arbitration procedure: voluntary, all parties must agree; some chambers exclude ongoing court proceedings, criminal complaints or cases that are too old (check with the responsible chamber). The suspension of the limitation period follows from § 204 Abs. 1 Nr. 4 BGB and BGH, 17 January 2017 – VI ZR 239/15.
• Second opinion: the list of procedures changes; check the current version with the G-BA.
• Not covered: amount of compensation for pain and suffering (no amounts checked), legal fees and legal expenses insurance, patients without health insurance, rules of private health insurance, the right of access under data protection law in detail, complaints offices of the federal states and hospitals.

What this platform does – and what it does not

Wegweiser explains patients' rights in plain language and gives legal bases, deadlines and figures from the sources named. It does not replace legal advice or a medical or legal review of your individual case. It does not name local advice centres, addresses or phone numbers, except for nationwide, documented bodies. No personal data is stored. Limitation periods are strict: seek advice early.