Pennsylvania statistics show medical malpractice on the decrease

Though we often hear otherwise, statistics from the administration office of Pennsylvania Courts have shown that medical malpractice lawsuits have been on the decrease. This is in part because doctors have become more assertive in addressing patient’s health concerns.

Doctor errors such as anesthesia and surgical errors lead to approximately 1.5 million people being injured every year throughout the United States. Medical errors care now considered to be the 5th leading cause of death and unintentional injuries in the country.

Patients put their trust in doctors for good reason. Licensed doctors have received a bachelor’s degree, attended four years of medical school, and have gone through 3 to 7 years of residency. The doctors performing surgery often already have many years of medical experience and training before they even enter into the operating room.

If a patient or loved one suspects that a medical mistake has occurred, they may wish to seek the advice of a medical malpractice attorney. Such attorney can take action that may prevent such types of mistakes from occurring again.

Even in times of medical mistake, most patients do not actually seek compensation for their injuries. Most individuals instead either request another doctor or become more assertive in voicing their concerns.

Medical care has likely improved in part because patients have become more proactive in their care. However, there continues to be a large number of medical mistakes, and too often such mistakes have ended in patient deaths. The Journal of American Medical Association puts the number of patient deaths due to medical malpractice at around 225,000.

Source: PennLive.com, “Poor medical care draws attention,” by MaLaysia Mitchell, May 26, 2012