Medical Malpractice Third Leading Cause of Death

When you go see a medical professional, you should never have to worry about being harmed due to the careless or negligent actions of the provider. Unfortunately, medical mistakes happen all the time in the United States. Most people do not realize just how often healthcare providers make mistakes. At The Weitz Firm, LLC our qualified and experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys understand that those affected by medical mistakes need compensation. We are ready to help you through this.

What are the statistics behind this?

Johns Hopkins researchers have said that medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the United States. They say that approximately 250,000 people lose their lives each year due to mistakes made by medical professionals. However, some estimates put this number over 400,000.

This means that medical mistakes trail only heart disease and cancer as the leading causes of death in the country. This is only part of the picture, though, as millions of other people survive medical mistakes and are left dealing with the consequences.

What are the most common medical mistakes?

There are various ways in which medical mistakes occur. This can include the following:

• Misdiagnosis – When a healthcare provider fails to diagnose a patient properly, the patient can suffer irreversible harm. A misdiagnosis can occur if a provider fails to obtain a full medical history, does not properly assess a patient, does not order the correct tests based on the symptoms, etc.
• Surgical mistakes – You may have heard of “never events” that can occur during surgery. This includes leaving foreign objects inside of a patient, operating on the wrong body part or wrong patient, performing the wrong surgery on a patient, anesthesia mistakes, and more.
• Healthcare-acquired infections – Medical professionals must use proper infection control protocols at all times. This includes ensuring that high-risk areas are regularly checked and disinfected (IV and central line sites, open wounds, recent surgical sites, and more).
• Medication mistakes – All too often, patients and the hospital and those who have been discharged suffer from medication errors. This can include receiving the wrong medication, the wrong dosage of their medication, or not receiving their medication at all.
• Birth injuries – The US lag behind other developed nations when it comes to infant mortality rates and maternal health (this includes prenatal care and post-birth care). During birth, medical professionals can make mistakes that harm an infant. This can include a failure to perform a C-section when indicated, misuse of birthing tools, or improper care following delivery.

We are ready to help you through this

If you or a loved one have been injured due to the careless or negligent actions of a medical professional, you need to seek legal assistance immediately. At The Weitz Firm, LLC we understand that you are going through enough right now. Let us get to work on your case so we can secure the compensation you need. This can include:

• Compensation for all medical expenses related to the error(s)
• Coverage of lost income and benefits if you cannot work
• Loss of enjoyment of life damages
• Pain and suffering damages
• Punitive damages against the healthcare provider/agency responsible

If you need a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.