Medical malpractice is a serious concern in the United States, claiming the lives of thousands of patients every year. The following considers some shocking statistics about medical malpractice that you need to know, as well as information about what to do if you believe yourself to be a victim of medical malpractice in Las Vegas:
Medical Errors Are the Third Leading Cause of Death
Medical errors are now the third leading cause of the death in the United States, according to data published in the BMJ and summarized by an article in The Washington Post. In fact, medical errors kill more U.S patients than do accidents, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, or respiratory diseases. The only things that kill more patients than medical malpractice does are heart disease and cancer.
One Percent of Doctors Are Involved in ⅓ of All Malpractice Claims
If the statistic above wasn’t worrisome enough, consider this: just one percent of doctors are involved in more than 30 percent of all malpractice claims in the United States, which means that a large portion of doctors are being charged with malpractice more than a single time. In fact, a physician who has had at least three malpractice claims filed against them is three times as likely to be involved in a subsequent malpractice case.
50 Percent of Surgeries Involved a Medication Error
Finally, another concerning statistic is that about half of all surgeries involve at least one medication error, according to a study conducted by researchers at Harvard. What’s more, almost 80 percent of medication errors observed in the study were preventable, and about one-third of the errors led to an adverse event.
What to Do If You Are a Victim of Medical Malpractice
If you are a victim of medical malpractice in Las Vegas, you have rights. One of those rights is the right to hire an experienced Las Vegas medical malpractice attorney; another is the right to pursue a civil medical malpractice action to recover compensation for your losses. At the Ladah Law Firm, our team of talented lawyers is here to help you and advocate for your rights. We strongly believe that the rate of preventable medical errors is unacceptable, and are ready to work hard for you. Contact us today for your free consultation and information about what to do next.