Diagnostic Errors are the Leading Cause of Medical Malpractice Cases in the USA

When personal injury attorneys talk about medical malpractice cases in St. Augustine, FL, they talk about a wide variety of issues, including surgical errors, birth-related injuries, physician mistakes and even dental malpractice. What was recently revealed, however, was that diagnostic errors are in fact the leading cause of paid malpractice claims.

Diagnostic error is defined as any mistake or failure by medical staff during the diagnostic process that results in delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. These errors can lead to any number of complications, from the failure to address a medical issue in it’s early or curable stages, the prescription of incorrect medication and even unnecessary surgery. In this manner, patients are not treated effectively – a situation that can easily lead to serious complications, disability and even death.

According to the BMJ Quality and Safety report published online on April 22, 2013, US medical history sees 100,000 payments for diagnostic errors between 1986 and 2010. This accounts for:

• A massive 28.6% of malpractice payments and
• 38.8% of disabilities and
• Almost 40% of deaths that resulted in malpractice payments

As a reputable personal injury law firm in Florida, this trend is concerning. We feel that the only way to force the medical industry to take responsibility and reduce these errors is for victims to stand up and take action.

If you suspect that your treatment was poor at a hospital, clinic or nursing home, or that your injury resulted from medical malpractice, we urge you to come forward, get a second medical opinion and meet with our attorneys. Contact us today and speak to our medical malpractice attorneys in St. Augustine, FL, to get the answers and justice you need to heal and move forward in life!