A recent book concerning the state of medical malpractice reveals numerous statistics concerning medical negligence lawsuits across the country and how changes in policies and procedures have affected the care you receive when hospitalized. Several interesting conclusions emerge. First, there is a perception by some that lawyers and those injured while obtaining health care file medical malpractice lawsuits frequently in order to obtain huge payouts. However, this is simply not the case. In fact, medical malpractice filings account for less than 10% of all tort cases filed – and less than 1% of all of the total civil caseload. Further, out of the small number of cases that are filed, only a very slight percentage – 3-9% – end up before juries. Thus, the perception that there is a medical malpractice crisis with juries awarding massive verdicts is simply not the case. Rather, due to the expense of bringing a medical malpractice case, only the very best cases are actually litigated.
When a patient is injured due to malpractice, the first step is to meet with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer who can begin an investigation into all of the facts and circumstances surrounding a particular case. This includes ordering all relevant medical records and having an expert review the materials to make an initial determination whether malpractice occurred and was responsible for the harm suffered. Due to the time and labor intense nature of the evaluation, it is very rare that a "frivolous" medical malpractice lawsuit is ever filed.
When a medical malpractice case is filed, many times it is as the result of a medication error. In fact, the book rivals that more than 50% of the surgeries involve medication errors – immediately before, during or right after a surgical procedure. However, less than 10% of the time do medical providers voluntarily reveal that an error occurred.
Other frightening conclusions include that the use of robots – a step taken to improve safety – have created another set of issues including the increase in burnt or broken pieces of instruments falling into a patients, patients receiving burns as the result of the use of an instrument, and unanticipated movements leading to severe personal injuries and even death.
As the result, if you believe that an error or harm occurred as the result of a recent hospital visit, it is important to speak to an experienced Los Angeles medical malpractice lawyer immediately to begin an investigation.
For more information, please contact our team of dedicated Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.
