Medical malpractice is a term used to describe any treatment, lack of treatment, or other departure from accepted standards of medical care, health care, or safety on the part of a health care provider that causes harm to the patient. For example, medical malpractice occurs when a doctor fails to exercise the degree of care and skill that a physician or surgeon of the same medical specialty would use under similar circumstances.
Between 44,000 and 98,000 Americans die each year as a result of medical errors according to a report by the Institute of Medicine. Medical malpractice is also responsible for some birth-related injuries such as cerebral palsy and brachial plexus injuries. Other injuries may include stroke, brain damage, paralysis, and death.
Unfortunately, medical errors result in thousands of injuries and deaths each year. According to an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), over 225,000 people die each year due to iatrogenic causes. This has become the third leading cause of death in the United States, after deaths from heart disease and cancer.
- 12,000 deaths/year from unnecessary surgery
- 7,000 deaths/year from medication errors in hospitals
- 20,000 deaths/year from other errors in hospitals
- 80,000 deaths/year from infections in hospitals
- 106,000 deaths/year from non-error, adverse effects of medication
Health care providers must abide by certain rules. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO).
If you or family members are a victim of medical error, we are here to help you. We will begin the process by assisting you in obtaining your medical records. An extensive review of your records is imperative to determine whether it is in your best interest to pursue a claim. We work closely with doctors and nurses who review your records and bring extensive medical knowledge and experience to your case. We develop your case to determine the liability of any hospitals or hospital workers, nursing homes or staff, physicians, nurses, radiologists, pathologists, dentists, dental office or staff, neurologists, oncologists, cardiologists, toxicologists, pharmacologists, technicians, and other health care workers. We will then attempt to recover compensation for your pain and suffering, payment of medical expenses for treating the injury caused by the malpractice, destruction of your power to labor and earn, and reimbursement for any past, present or future financial losses that you have incurred as a result of the malpractice.
The attorneys at Grossman & Moore have handled the following types of cases involving medical errors:
- Failure to Diagnose
- Misdiagnosis
- Improper treatment
- Delay in treatment
- Failure to treat
- Birth Trauma
- Cerebral Palsy
- Shoulder Dystocia
- VBAC
- Failure to perform caesarean section
- Hospital Negligence
- Improper credentials
- Wrongful death
- Surgical errors/wrong site surgery (PDF Article)
- Sponges (PDF Article)
- Breast implants
- Emergency room errors
- Nursing home neglect/error
- Prescription error
Medical-Related Links
The Joint Commission – The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards. The Joint Commission describes its mission “to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations.”
