Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death
When doctors make mistakes, it could mean the difference between life and death. This is something people often taken for granted, but it’s something that’s always on our minds here at Zucker & Regev. Our Brooklyn, NY medical malpractice lawyers stand with those affected by doctor and surgeon mistakes, holding these negligent professional accountable for their errors.
Countless people die each year because of medical malpractice. You may not even realize it, but medical errors are a leading cause of death in this country. Let’s go over some startling facts and then consider examples of fatal medical mistakes.
How Common Are Fatal Medical Mistakes?
More common than you may think. According to an eye-opening study from Johns Hopkins, medical mistakes may be the third leading cause of death in the United States.
This study estimated that more than 250,000 fatal medical errors occur each year. Breaking this down, that means that medical mistakes are responsible for roughly 10 percent of American deaths annually.
Given the different kinds of medial mistakes that can occur, this should be no surprise to anyone.
Fatal Surgical Errors
Mistakes during surgery and following surgery could prove fatal. This covers blood loss during surgery as well as issues with respiration, and can also cover post-surgical infections and problems with sutures. In fact, failure to respond to signs of a post-op complication could lead to the loss of a patient in the days and weeks after the surgical procedure was completed.
We should also note the dangers of poorly administered anesthesia, which could lead to the death of a patient.
Delayed Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis
One of the most serious medical mistakes involves delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of medical conditions. When a doctor misdiagnoses cancer or another terminal illness, that means a patient does not receive potentially lifesaving medical care in a timely manner.
Our Brooklyn medical malpractice lawyers have worked with the loved ones of patients who did not receive a proper diagnosis of their illness. In these cases, the doctors ignored telltale symptoms and risk factors.
Prenatal Care and Deliveries
During pregnancy and in the delivery room, mothers and their babies need to be carefully monitored. Serious medical conditions as the baby is developing could put the life of the child as well as the life of the mother at risk. This is especially true of emergencies during childbirth. Failure to perform a C-section could lead to tragedy.
Prescriptions and Contraindications
In addition to deaths from surgical error and negligent medical care, we should also note fatalities caused by prescription medications.
Some patients may have allergic reactions to certain medications that may prove fatal. Similarly, it’s important to consider how the current medications that a patient is taking interact with new medications. The wrong combination of drugs in a person’s system can have disastrous outcomes.
Holding Negligent Medical Professionals Accountable
No matter the medical error, it’s important that negligent doctors and surgeons be held accountable for their mistakes. In matters of life and death, negligence and inattention are unacceptable. That’s why the lawyers of Zucker & Regev are here to help. We can go over the evidence in your case and help you understand what your legal options are moving forward.
Contact Zucker & Regev
If you live in Brooklyn and have lost a loved one due to the unacceptable mistakes of a doctor or medical facility, be sure to contact our skilled team of medical malpractice lawyers. You can reach our law firm by phone at (718) 521-2764.
