Medical malpractice is a real issue
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Medical malpractice is a topic that does not sit well with everyone. Lots of people tend to judge the validity of a medical malpractice lawsuit based on the severity of the injuries and the few facts that they know about the case. Someone may look at a plastic surgery malpractice lawsuit as being less important than one related to the birth of a child at a hospital. The important part to remember is that in many of these cases, the victims have suffered and are suffering in ways we could never imagine.
On top of that, it’s important to remember that the medical industry equals big business. Hospitals may cut corners and nursing homes may cut staff just to raise the bottom line – all at the expense of a patient’s health. Medical errors are the third cause of avoidable death in Canada. Each year, between 30,000 and 60,000 people die due to medical errors in our country. And thousands more are injured. The death range is quite broad because not all medical errors are reported and in some cases, victims’ families do not know that their family member died because of a medical error. While some medical deaths or injuries did not necessarily involve fault, others could have been prevented or involved negligence on the part of a medical professional.
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Although it may feel like a patient has no control over whether or not they suffer a medical injury, there are some things an individual can do in hopes of protecting him or herself. In our next three posts, we will discuss the various steps you can take to protect yourself in a medical setting.
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