What is medical malpractice? Medical malpractice refers to the legal concept in which a healthcare provider, such as a doctor, nurse, or hospital, breaches the standard of care expected in their profession, resulting in harm or injury to a patient. Medical malpractice cases typically involve negligence, meaning there was a failure to act with the … Read more
Resource Type: Medical Malpractice
Nursing home abuse and neglect statistics Even if you place your loved one in the best nursing home that’s affordable for your family, you aren’t guaranteed they’ll be safe. Thousands of people in the United States fall victim to elder abuse in nursing homes each year. The following statistics help to illustrate the problem: Recent … Read more
What is a diagnostic error? A diagnostic error is a diagnosis that is missed, wrong, or delayed. It often takes additional tests or findings to determine what the real issue is. When a misdiagnosed illness goes untreated or is treated incorrectly, it can have a number of negative consequences for the patient. Are diagnostic errors … Read more
How dangerous is anesthesia? Although anesthesia is generally safe, we continue to see problems associated with its use. Individuals continue to suffer permanent damage or death as the result of anesthesia error. A study of 2,211 anesthesia-related deaths in the United States between 1999 and 2005 found that 867 deaths occurred in hospitals, 348 occurred in outpatient … Read more
What is a surgical error? A surgical error is an avoidable mistake made by a medical professional during surgery that results in additional or unanticipated harm to the patient. Although all surgeries involve some known risks, it’s considered surgical error when a patient experiences unexpected complications during their procedure. Surgical complications are defined as surgeon malpractice only when a … Read more