Health care that fails to meet the accepted standards for medical professionals is called medical malpractice. Health care providers in New York and other states may be held financially responsible for patients’ injuries if it can be proved that the injuries occurred because the providers failed to act appropriately. Here is an overview of how often medical malpractice happens in the United States.
A look at how frequently medical malpractice occurs
A third of U.S. health care providers are sued for malpractice when practicing medicine. Health care providers, like doctors, make avoidable mistakes in 3% to 15% of medical interventions. Patients are most likely to sue surgeons versus other types of care providers.
Misdiagnosis is a common medical malpractice claim. Commonly misdiagnosed conditions range from vascular events to cancer and infections. Prescription-related mistakes are also prevalent, especially those involving morphine and insulin. Nearly 97% of malpractice claims never go to court, as they are settled between the patient and care provider outside of court.
How a medical malpractice attorney can help
An individual who believes that his or her injuries resulted from a doctor’s mistake in New York may benefit from filing a medical malpractice claim. A medical malpractice attorney can help a client file the claim and gather evidence to support it, including medical records demonstrating the severity of the individual’s injuries. The attorney can then help the individual pursue settlement outside of court or, if necessary, litigation to maximize the amount of compensation the client receives in light of his or her injuries.