A medical malpractice injury lawyer notes a study that suggests medical errors are the number three cause of deaths in the U.S., and that problems with reporting and tracking these type of vital statistics may prevent public awareness of the issue. Affected patients injured due to the fault of a healthcare provider may be able to pursue claims for compensation with the help of a medical malpractice attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a case we can connect you with an affiliated medical malpractice lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
Important: The time you have to pursue a claim is limited. Contact us for more information.
Study: 250,000 Americans Die Each Year from Medical Errors
According to npr.org, a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests medical errors should rank as the third leading cause of death in the United States and the researchers caution that the study highlights how shortcomings in tracking vital statistics may hinder research and keep the problem out of the public eye. The authors of the report also call for changes in death certificates to better tabulate fatal lapses in care and they urge the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to immediately add medical errors to its annual list reporting the top causes of death.
Based on an analysis of prior research, the Johns Hopkins study estimates that more than 250,000 Americans die each year from medical errors. On the CDC’s official list, that would rank just behind heart disease and cancer, which each took about 600,000 lives in 2014, and in front of respiratory disease, which caused about 150,000 deaths. Medical mistakes that can lead to death range from surgical complications that go unrecognized to mix-ups with the doses or types of medications patients receive, the study notes.
The study, published in the May 2016 issue of the British Medical Journal, further suggests that the inability to capture the full impact of medical errors results in a lack of public attention and a failure to invest in research. The researchers suggest adding a new question to death certificates specifically asking if a preventable complication of care contributed to the person’s death, the website reported.
How a Medical Malpractice Injury Lawyer Can Help
Patients who have been injured due to the fault of a healthcare provider may be entitled to compensation. Damages may include:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those who have died may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
