The fact that the actions of a doctor resulted in an injury does not automatically indicate medical malpractice. The simple fact that an injured party or their family is unhappy with the outcome of treatment does not always warrant a medical malpractice claim. In order for a situation to qualify as medical malpractice, the doctor or hospital in question must be found to have been negligent in a way that directly resulted in an injury or illness. Therefore, many people wonder just how common are true medical malpractice lawsuits? The law team at SSGC has done the research and answers that question for you.
How Common Is Hospital Negligence?
- Medication Errors: It has been found that over a million people (an estimated 1.5 million) are harmed by medication errors annually. This means that the hospital treating the patient either prescribed the wrong medication or the wrong dosage, or was negligent in assessing allergies prior to administering medication.
- Birth Injuries: Preventable birth injuries are a major cause of medical malpractice lawsuits in the nation every year. These can include injuries sustained by either the mother or the child. An estimated 28,000 people each year experience birth related injuries. Given that midwife deliveries account for only 8 percent of deliveries in the U.S, hospitals are most often the liable party in these cases.
- Anesthesia Related Injuries: An estimated 300 deaths a year result from anesthesia errors. These can include failure to properly advise of the risk, failure to properly investigate the patient’s risks before administering, administering too much or too little anesthesia, incorrect timing of delivery, and more.
- Diagnosis Errors: According to studies, diagnosis errors make up 46% percent of all medical malpractice claims each year. These can include incorrect and delayed diagnosis of injuries and illness that results in furthered injury or a worsened condition.
- Surgical Errors: Surgical errors are, by far, the most devastating and fatal errors medical malpractice lawyers see. Surgical errors account for 34% of all medical malpractice claims every year. Surgical errors can include operation on the wrong area, injury to other organs, improper administration of medications prior to and after surgery, and infection as a result of negligence.
If you believe you have suffered an injury or the worsening of an illness due to medical malpractice by your hospital, contact the legal team at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg, and Cardea, P.A. law. Call 1-410-234-1000 to speak to an experienced medical malpractice lawyer today.