The author team - consisting of an orthopedic surgeon, trauma surgeon, and lawyer - long-time members of the largest medical arbitration board in Germany, can draw on the evaluation of numerous decisions made by this institution. The most common and obvious sources of error in the fields of orthopedics and trauma surgery are presented in detail "from head to toe" using case studies. Additionally, the constantly evolving medical liability law, influenced by judicial decisions, is systematically explained based on current case law in a manner tailored to readers with a medical background.