Medical malpractice is unfortunately much more prevalent in the United States than many people believe. Accidents happen, but negligence goes beyond a mere accident and enters into a criminal realm that can irreparably harm victims. Being able to heal effectively after being a victim of medical malpractice can be difficult without financial and emotional help, so seeking out legal help is crucial when you find yourself in this tragic situation. To help you understand the seriousness of this problem, here are medical malpractice statistics from 2021 (and previous years) that will shock you:
Medical Malpractice Was a Leading Cause of Death
John Hopkins researchers conducted a groundbreaking, comprehensive study in 2016 that looked into medical errors across the United States. Shockingly, they discovered that an average of more than 250,000 people die in the United States every single year due to some type of medical mistake. This surprising statistic placed medical malpractice as the third leading cause of death across the United States in 2016. The number was up more than 50,000 from the 200,000 medical accident-related deaths that the researchers discovered across the United States in 2009.
Medical negligence, more specifically, has been discovered as a factor in many deaths by similar medical institutions. The Institute of Medicine conducted a 1999 study that found at least 98,000 people died from medical negligence that year. Unfortunately, those already shocking numbers have consistently grown higher with each passing year. Preparing for this type of tragedy is a near impossibility, so medical malpractice suits become your best way to fight against the injustice imposed upon you.
Medical malpractice lawsuits have proven to be one of the most common and effective weapons victims have to gain the restitution they deserve after an incident, and Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have been helping victims through these difficult situations for many years. A medical malpractice lawsuit is designed to provide injured patients, and/or their surviving family members, with a way to recount emotional and financial damages after someone is irreversibly damaged, or killed, by medical malpractice.
A recent study discovered that there was a major uptick in medical malpractice deaths in 2021, and that upwards of $20 billion was paid out in medical malpractice suits during 2021. Hopefully, more work will be done within the medical industry to avoid these costly, tragic, and preventable mistakes from continuing to be a leading cause of death in the United States.
Surprising Statistics Surrounding Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
Did you know that more than 250,000 malpractice cases involving fatalities are reported nearly every year? Many of these cases will qualify for a medical malpractice and wrongful death lawsuit. That being said, many people fail to pull the trigger on initiating a medical malpractice lawsuit, leading to the total amount of claims each year being fairly low.
The National Practitioner Data Bank reported that only 3,046 payments were made for medical malpractice-related wrongful death lawsuits last year. You’re reading that correctly, just over 1.2% of the potential cases that could have been filed were filed – leading many victims to be completely on their own in trying to repair their lives emotionally and financially after a tragic death in their family caused by medical malpractice.
How Prevalent Are Medical Malpractice Lawsuits?
The University of Chicago conducted a survey in 2017 that discovered over 41% of Americans believe that a healthcare provider has made medical mistakes during their visits. Diagnostic errors, prescription drug errors, and surgical errors were the most commonly cited malpractice complications. In 2020, a new study uncovered that the ICU, operating rooms, and emergency rooms across the United States are the most common places where serious medical malpractice occurs.
Currently, the average number of medical malpractice lawsuits that are filed in the United States each year is just 20,000. In contrast, millions of documented injuries, and thousands of deaths, are attributed to medical malpractice in the United States every year. Even more surprisingly, only 1.8% of doctors are involved with more than 50% of the medical malpractice claim payments issued in the United States each year.
Take Action Now
If you or a loved one have been a victim of medical malpractice, you must seek out legal help as soon as possible. Timeliness is of the essence, as bringing charges against the medical professionals involved in the malpractice will ensure you get the medical board involved, and will help boost your chances of having a successful case. Putting your life back together, and getting back on track, after a tragic medical malpractice incident can be difficult, so you deserve the financial restitution and emotional assistance needed to help you take your life back. Unfortunately, with the massive number of medical malpractice cases that occur in the United States each year, at least a few people reading this article may know someone who has been affected.
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