Maryland Controversial of Medical Claim is a process for resolving disputes in medical malpractice cases in the state of Maryland. It is a special type of arbitration in which a panel of three experts, usually one physician, one lawyer, and one insurance representative, reviews the medical evidence and determines whether the doctor provided the appropriate standard of care in the case. The panel then issues an opinion and award, which may be accepted by both parties or appealed to a court. There are two types of Maryland Controversial of Medical Claim: voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary Controversial is initiated by the parties to the dispute and is generally completed within six months, while Involuntary Controversial is initiated by the Maryland Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office of the Insurance Administration and is typically completed within 12 months.