Ohio residents place a good deal of trust in their doctors and hospitals, and for good reason – their lives are often on the line. In some cases, though, you may get that gut feeling that something your doctor says or does is hurting, rather than helping, you, and when you face these circumstances, it may serve you well to seek a second opinion. At Johnson & Associates, we know that medical mistakes are one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and we have helped many who suffered injury or hardship due to medical mistakes pursue recourse in the aftermath.
So, just how common are medical errors? Per CNBC, medical mistakes have become the third-most-common cause of American deaths, with only cancer and heart disease causing more deaths annually. The exact number of deaths resulting from medical mistakes each year, though, is harder to determine. Some estimates suggest that about 250,000 people succumb to injuries or illnesses caused by medical mistakes each year. Other reports, however, indicate this number of too low, and that the actual number of medical error-related fatalities occurring each year is closer to 440,000.
Just what types of medical mistakes are killing thousands of Americans every year? Medical mistakes can range broadly, and they could potentially include everything from misdiagnoses or delayed diagnoses to miscalculating an infant’s gestational age. Surgical errors, too, are a common form of medical mistake, and they can include everything from cutting or nicking an organ during surgery to failing to properly administer anesthesia.
Other medical mistakes, yet, are administrative and nature and caused by clerical or computer errors. You can find out more about medical mistakes by visiting our webpage.
