Medical Errors have been cited as the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States. A May 3, 2016 article in the Washington Post reported on this surprising finding. They estimated that 98,000 deaths a year are caused by medical errors. Only heart disease and cancer rank higher.
The CDC does not include medical errors in their statistics. Instead they use whatever underlying health condition the person was suffering from as the cause of death. This is why most people are unaware of the high percentage of deaths caused from these types of errors.
Medical errors can take many forms including:
- Misdiagnosis
- Treatment mistakes
- Medical procedure / surgery errors
- Medication errors
- Incorrect lab test results
Majority of Medical Errors Considered Preventable
It is generally believe that about 70% of these errors are preventable. Carelessness, negligence, poor training, incompetence, and poor communication contribute to medical errors. The highest percentage occur in the hospital, followed by the doctor office. Others occur in operating rooms, clinics, emergency rooms, pharmacies, medical labs and nursing homes.
If you have been seriously injured by any kind of doctor, hospital, nursing home, or medication error, you should seek the advice of a personal injury attorney. Your attorney can look over the circumstances of your case and give you the advice and help you need.
Medical errors can cost your family many thousands of dollars in costs not to mention pain and suffering. Sometimes the injuries suffered can negatively affect the injured and their families for the rest of their lives.
Personal Injury Attorney Joel Baskin – Help is One Phone Call Away
Call Atlanta personal injury attorney Joel Baskin about your medical error claim. Joel has been helping people in the Metro Atlanta area and has convenient offices in Cobb and Fulton counties.
Joel offers a free initial consultation so you can learn what Joel can do for you without any out-of-pocket expenses on your part.