MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
Most people would be surprised to know that medical errors rank as the third leading cause of death in the United States. This is according to a most recent study by Johns Hopkins Medicine concluding that more than 250,000 Americans die each year from medical mistakes. When viewed on the Center for Disease Control’s official list of causes of death, this puts medical mistakes just behind heart disease and cancer which each took about 600,000 lives in 2014. It even puts this category in ahead of respiratory disease, which caused about 150,000 deaths. The death counts from medical errors could be higher as home and nursing home deaths were not counted in the total.
Medical mistakes leading to death can vary. Sometimes, surgical complications go unrecognized and other times, there are mix-ups in the types of medical patients receive. Also, mistakes can come from communication breakdowns, diagnostic errors and poor judgment, not to mention fragmented medical care. So, the issue of medical negligence is a very big one for most Americans who place their trust in their medical providers and institutions.
Typically, doctors and hospitals don’t say they’re sorry when they make mistakes that cause serious harm or even death. Oftentimes, we are asked by clients to review claims of injury resulting from hospital settings and other times, by physicians who make mistakes in diagnosis and treatment.
For us as lawyers, we can help our clients by providing evaluations of those cases where clients are seriously hurt. These claims generally result from a departure from acceptable medical standards and procedures. They are often associated with major injury or harm and even death. As lawyers, we pay particular attention to the issue of causation or establishing a clear connection between the harm caused and the medical or hospital mistake.
If you have been injured due to a medical or hospital mistake, talk to your lawyer as soon as possible as there are time limits for the commencement of claims. There is a much shorter time limit for claims against municipal hospitals and other requirements.
If a doctor or hospital makes a mistake in treatment or diagnosis, you could be seriously harmed. If such a mistake or error actually causes significant harm, you may have a claim for medical malpractice or medical negligence. Call us.
Medical Errors
Most people would be surprised to know that medical errors rank as the third leading cause of death in the United States. This is according to a most recent study by Johns Hopkins Medicine concluding that more than 250,000 Americans die each year from medical mistakes. When viewed on the Center for Disease Control’s official list of causes of death, this puts medical mistakes just behind heart disease and cancer which each took about 600,000 lives in 2014. It even puts this category in ahead of respiratory disease, which caused about 150,000 deaths. The death counts from medical errors could be higher as home and nursing home deaths were not counted in the total.
Medical mistakes leading to death can vary. Sometimes, surgical complications go unrecognized and other times, there are mix-ups in the types of medical care patients receive. Also, mistakes can come from communication breakdowns, diagnostic errors and poor judgment, not to mention fragmented medical care. So, the issue of medical negligence is a very big one for most Americans who place their trust in their medical providers and institutions.
Typically, doctors and hospitals don’t say their sorry when they make mistakes that cause serious harm or even death. Oftentimes, we are asked by clients to review claims of injury resulting from hospital settings and other times, by physicians who make mistakes in diagnosis and treatment.
For us as lawyers, we can help our clients by providing evaluations of those cases where clients are seriously hurt. These claims generally result from a departure from acceptable medical standards and procedures. They are often associated with major injury or harm and even death. As lawyers, we pay particular attention to the issue of causation or establishing a clear connection between the harm caused and the medical or hospital mistake.
If you have been injured due to a medical or hospital mistake, talk to your lawyer as soon as possible as there are time limits for the commencement of claims. There is a much shorter time limit for claims against municipal hospitals and other requirements.
Medical Devices
Many client undergoing medical care and treatment are sometimes unaware of the risks associated with various drugs and medical products.
Certain drugs have been marketed by pharmaceutical companies without the necessary or required warnings. Other drugs have been marketed outside the contemplated use. Many of our clients, if properly informed, would have made better decisions on the use of drugs, particularly when they learn of the very nasty consequences of long term use.
In one medication that was intended for post surgical blood clot prevention, the manufacturer failed to place appropriate warnings about the known increased incidence of post-surgical infections including streptococcus mitis oralis, pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae. Patients also suffered from deep joint infections and other conditions such as hematoma and persistent drainage from the surgical site. We urge all our clients to become better informed about the risks of medication but oftentimes, full and complete information on the drug, particularly as to adverse medical consequences, is withheld.
The same principles apply to medical devices. Here, the idea is that the manufacturer may place a device on the market without warnings as to the adverse consequences of use. For example, many cases of metal on metal hip replacement surgery, resulted in metals being introduced into patient’s blood stream, causing a variety of conditions. As such, patients who underwent placement of metal on metal hips had to undergo surgical revision, which oftentimes resulted in other complications, not to mention the increased and further costs of medical and hospital care.
We urge all of our clients to inquire as to their care with their own medical provider so as to become a better informed consumer. They may also wish to check with their attorney as to drugs or devices that are suspect.
Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse
According to the National Center for Elder Abuse, by 2050, people age 65 and older will comprise of 20% of the U.S. population. Many of these very same people will require assistance in their care and maintenance. For those who have family members who can assist, they will be very fortunate. However, for many others, they will depend on the quality of care given or expected from institutional settings such as nursing homes. Many cases of nursing home neglect involve falls that could easily have been prevented. Other types of claims involve failure to prevent, care for or manage bed sores. Bed sores can progress to surface and skin infections and can even involve bone infection or the medical term, osteomyelitis.
New York State has rules and regulations pertaining to falls and risk assessments involving nursing homes and required notices. If you or a loved one has suffered from such neglect, you should speak with an attorney promptly
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Note: The information contained herein is for general and non-specific informational purposes only as legal claims vary and is not to be considered or taken as legal counsel or advice. Only your lawyer can give you legal advice. If you have a legal question, you should consult with an experienced injury attorney as soon as possible
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