Medical Malpractice: Did you know?
Medical malpractice cases can be both serious and frightening in nature. It may be difficult for you to believe some of the shocking cases that emerge. Listed below are six interesting facts about malpractice:
1. Medical malpractice ranks third in the leading causes of death in the United States.
The Journal of the American Medical Association has reported that medical malpractice follows behind cancer and heart disease as reasons for death in America. Related to this statistic, 2014 marked the second consecutive year that malpractice payout amounts rose, creating a trend of increasing payout amounts. In Florida, payments increased by 18.97 per cent from 2013. That amounts to $236.204,600 in total payouts.
2. Between 25,000 and 120,000 deaths happen because of medical negligence
Surprisingly, these numbers do not include the number of deaths caused by medical accidents which, according to the Civil Justice Resource Group, range between 65,000 and 200,000 each year. That’s 26,000 more than the number of car accident-related deaths reported in the United States annually.
3. Only one in four injuries or deaths resulting from medical malpractice gets registerd in medical records.
This could mean as much as four times more injuries and deaths occurring each year than what are listed above.
4. Diagnostic errors are the most frequent type of medical malpractice case.
In 2014, 33 percent of malpractice suits are related to diagnosis. Surgical malpractice follows closely behind, comprising 24 percent of malpractice cases. Treatment errors make up 18 percent, and obstetric cases make up 11 percent. Medication, monitoring, and anesthesia comprise 3 to 4 percent each of all malpractice cases.
5. Less than 5 percent of U.S. doctors are responsible for half of the malpractice suits in the country.
This means that the same few doctors are repeatedly making serious and life-threatening mistakes. Fortunately, a malpractice lawsuit can prevent others from receiving similar dangerous treatment. By waging a lawsuit, victims can raise public awareness of medical malpractice and prevent a negligent doctor from practicing medicine in the future.
6. Over half of all medical malpractice cases are dropped or dismissed.
In most claims, the parties reach a settled before trial and 7% go to trial to reach a verdict. According to most reports, defendants are favored in 88% of cases. Note that patients frequently abandon claims because as they gather more information, plaintiffs realize that their cases may not be as strong as they initially thought. An attorney skilled in malpractice law suits and open communication with hospitals and health care providers are essential elements of a successful malpractice case.
If you are seriously injured due to inferior health care or you’ve lost a loved one because of a health care provider’s mistakes, contact a skilled attorney from Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath to represent you. Our firm represents victims throughout Florida and nationwide.
