Did you know that medical mistakes are now the third leading cause of death in the United States? Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine say that medical errors now claim more lives than car accidents and rank just behind heart disease and cancer as the top causes of death in the country.
When you rely on a doctor to keep you safe and to take care of you when you’re at your most vulnerable, it’s devastating to think that a doctor’s carelessness could actually cause you serious injury or even cost you your life.
Unfortunately, medical errors are only becoming more common. Here are five of the most common medical mistakes.
- Medication Errors
According to the FDA, medication errors kill at least one American every single day and injure about 1.3 million people every year. What makes medication errors so deadly is that they can occur at various points along the distribution chain. In some cases, the company that makes the drug produces an unsafe product. In other cases, the physician who prescribes it fails to notice a potentially deadly drug interaction. In yet other cases, a pharmacist dispenses the wrong dose or the wrong drug.
- Surgical Errors
While surgery always carries certain risks, in some cases doctors are too fatigued to safely perform a surgery. In other cases, they knowingly go into an operating room without possessing the skills necessary to perform a procedure. WebMD states that approximately 4,000 surgical mistakes occur every year.
- Anesthesia Mistakes
According to one study that surveyed over 2,200 members of the Canadian Society of Anesthesiologists, 30 percent admitted that they had committed at least one error during their professional career.
- Misdiagnosis
When a doctor misses an illness or diagnoses a patient with the wrong illness, the consequences can be deadly. In other cases, a doctor diagnoses a patient with something they don’t actually have, causing unnecessary procedures, tests, and mental anguish. A CBS News report states that an astonishing 12 million Americans are victims of misdiagnoses every year.
- Childbirth Injuries
What makes childbirth injuries so devastating is that they occur to a baby who is just starting out in life. The birth of a baby should be a joyous time for new parents. When a baby is injured during childbirth, parents are blindsided by medical bills and what is often a lifetime of medical costs, interventions, and special needs.
Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Lawyer Discusses Medical Mistakes
Rand Spear a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer explains, “A medical mistake can lead to years and even decades of medical treatment and additional costs. If you’ve been injured by a doctor’s mistake or a healthcare professional’s error, you can’t afford to forego the help of an experienced medical malpractice lawyer.”
Contact a Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today
Don’t wait to speak to a lawyer about your case. There is a limited time in which to file a claim for an injury caused by a doctor’s negligence or a hospital’s mistake. Protect your rights by calling Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer Rand Spear today at 877-GET-RAND.
Call or text (215) 985-2424 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
