Medical Malpractice Causes More Deaths Than Car Accidents
By Space Coast Daily // December 15, 2024
Doctors play a vital role in the functioning of society. Most of them strive to improve their knowledge and provide increasingly better care for their patients.
It’s understandable that medical malpractice rates are high in developing or underdeveloped countries, where working conditions for these professionals are often substandard. However, in the United States—a country that offers some of the best working conditions for doctors in the Americas and arguably the world—there is no justification for over 250,000 deaths annually due to medical malpractice, according to the Committee of Quality of Healthcare in America and healthjournalism.org.
To put this into perspective, more people die every year due to medical malpractice than from car accidents. While car accidents remain a common cause of injury and death, medical errors within a supposedly controlled environment such as a hospital are far more alarming.
These statistics become even more disturbing when considering that most negligent doctors are never held accountable for their actions. Only 40% of malpractice cases ever go to trial, leaving many more people vulnerable to harm or death under their care. This article aims not to generalize but to inform victims and their families about the actions they can take to seek compensation and ensure these so-called “professionals” are held responsible for their crimes.
If you have already worked with a car accident lawyer due to injuries from a vehicle collision, you may recognize the similarities in the legal process when pursuing a medical malpractice claim. The right attorney can make all the difference in achieving justice.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
It’s important to understand that not every death in a hospital is due to medical malpractice. Despite advances in medical science, there are still many diseases that remain incurable and conditions that cannot yet be reversed. Death can also occur due to complications even when a doctor has done everything possible to save the patient.
Medical malpractice is defined as any act by a doctor that falls outside the standards accepted by the medical community and results in harm to the patient. Malpractice can also include incompetence, lack of skill, or recklessness by the doctor, causing injury, harm, or death to the patient.
A victim of medical malpractice is someone who has suffered from a poorly executed procedure, delays in receiving emergency care, or a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality—an essential aspect of the “doctor-patient relationship.” These actions can result in physical, moral, or psychological damages. To prove medical malpractice, the victim must demonstrate that the doctor or healthcare facility acted negligently, as outlined by mind.org.uk, and take the appropriate steps to seek justice.
What Should You Do if You’re a Victim of Medical Malpractice?
If your loved one died due to suspected medical malpractice, or if you were the victim of a poorly executed procedure that caused disfigurement or permanent injuries requiring ongoing therapy—or for which there are no available treatments—you have the right to seek compensation from the responsible doctor or healthcare facility.
While hospitals require you to sign a consent form upon admission that protects them from liability for side effects of treatments or death due to pre-existing conditions or injuries, this document does not justify unethical behavior or injuries caused by negligence. According to the law firm louisberklaw.com, you can file a claim without upfront legal costs if you don’t win the case, even if it goes to trial.
Just as a car accident lawyer would advise you to gather strong evidence for an injury claim, the same principle applies in medical malpractice cases. To strengthen your case, you must collect as much evidence as possible to demonstrate your status as a victim. Keep in mind that, in court, the victim’s testimony is a powerful form of evidence. Photographic or video documentation of the incident can also support your case, as can evidence of the resulting injuries or death.
The next critical step is to seek legal assistance from the beginning. A competent attorney will help build a solid case using your testimony and the evidence you provide to achieve the best possible outcome. If you have previously worked with a car accident lawyer, you’ll understand the importance of choosing the right legal representation for such a critical matter.
