More Than 1,000 People a Day Are Injured Thanks to Doctor Negligence

Medical malpractice is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Fatal medical errors are also one of the most preventable causes of death. In fact, according to the Journal of Patient Safety, over 440,000 people are killed by medical mistakes each year. That’s more than 1,000 people every day! Further, when you add in the 10,000 individuals who suffer serious, but not deadly, injuries thanks to doctor negligence, the statistics are truly harrowing.

Most people truly don’t know how pervasive this problem is in the United States. They think that it’s almost rare for a mistake to be made; after all, physicians pledge to “do no harm.” Of course, they try their best most of the time. But when mistakes happen they are costly in more way than one.

• $17 billion each year – that’s the dollar figure associated with preventable medical mistakes in the US
• Add in days off work and the number rises to over $1 trillion

While all those numbers are upsetting, the real problem is that when medical mistakes are made, they are often not able to be corrected. For example, a birth injury can cause lifelong pain and suffering. Failure to diagnose cancer can allow the disease to advance to the point where medication won’t help. The list of various medical malpractice errors, including ER mistakes, failure to properly read an x-ray and administering the wrong dose of mediation are only some of the problems Americans may face every time they go to a healthcare professional.

Eight of the most common preventable medical errors are:

1. Injuries and conditions acquired during a hospital stay including: broken bones, dislocations and fractures from falls or improper patient handling, brain injury and burns
2. Pressure ulcers from failure to turn a patient
3. Compatibility issues associated with being given the wrong blood type
4. Objects left in the body during surgical procedures
5. Urinary tract infections that occur because catheters are not properly handled or changed
6. Air embolism
7. Vascular catheter-associated infection
8. Surgical site infection

If you are someone you love was injured due to a medical professional’s negligence or carelessness, speak to the experienced medical malpractice attorneys at the Wilton Law Firm. We will fight to get you maximum compensation for your injuries.