Doctors, nurses, nursing home facilities—people rely on these professional entities every day to provide the care that they need. However, medical mistakes do happen, and negligence is a possibility. Take a look at some of the common questions regarding medical malpractice and negligence, and the answers you should know.
How common are medical negligence or mistakes in healthcare?
Even though most people fully trust that their healthcare providers are going to do just fine with providing them care, and most providers do fine, mistakes in medical care are actually the third leading cause of deaths in the United States. Medical mistakes are ranked right up there behind car accidents and cancer, which is a scary thing to face as a patient. Not only is this a scary ranking, but it is also even scarier if you stop to think about all of the injuries and mistakes that do not get reported. To err is human, even in healthcare, but that does not mean that you should not be compensated for disastrous mistakes.
Can you sue for medical negligence on behalf of a family member?
If you are the closest next of kin, you have a right to file a lawsuit against the party who caused the death of your loved one. Many of these cases go unrecognized because family members have no idea that there is anything they can do if poor medical care led to the loss of a relative. At a time that is often filled with a great deal of grief and mourning, filing a lawsuit may be the last thing you are thinking about, but it is important to make sure these cases are brought to light so those who acted poorly in their profession can be properly recognized. Every unreported mistake is the possibility of allowing the mistakes to keep occurring with other patients.
What kind of attorney should you speak to if you think you have a case?
If you or a loved one has been injured due to medical malpractice or negligence, you should speak to an attorney who is familiar with these kinds of cases. Most personal injury attorneys handle medical negligence and malpractice cases because this is an area of personal injury law. However, there are attorneys who specifically focus on medical negligence and malpractice cases alone. These negligence attorneys are the professionals to work with if you feel you have a claim.
