Have you suffered injuries at the hands of your healthcare provider? Were you injured during a surgical procedure? Did your child suffer a birth injury? Was your loved one killed by a doctor’s negligence? 
Medical malpractice is common in the United States—last year, the Journal of Patient Safety estimated that at least 210,000 hospital patients die each year from medical mistakes.
Whenever mistakes happen in medical care, you should have your case investigated. In many circumstances, unacceptable forms of treatment injure or kill patients. Aside from death, the injuries can be catastrophic, leading to extensive physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Amazingly, a study shows that many healthcare providers are withholding information from patients about harm. According to National Public Radio, “clinicians may see the need to be more open with patients but lack the ‘moral courage’ to do it.”
NPR reported this after it reviewed a study done by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, which looked at the responses of 236 patients who completed ProPublica’s Patient Harm Questionnaire during a one-year period.
Researchers found that:
- It was common for providers to withhold information about medical mistakes, as only 9 percent of patients said a medical facility voluntarily disclosed the harm.
- When officials did disclose harm, it was often because they were forced to.
- Only 11 percent of patients or their family members reported getting an apology from a provider.
- More than 30 percent reported paying bills related to the harm at an average cost of $14,024.
Should I talk to an Attorney If My Doctor Injures Me?
If you have had a loved one who has been killed due to medical negligence or a healthcare provider has injured you, make sure you have our attorneys investigate your case. Our office receives more phone calls about potential medical malpractice claims than any other type of inquiry. We take these inquiries very seriously, as we believe that it is unacceptable for doctors to deliver substandard care.
Kantrowitz, Goldhamer & Graifman, P.C. – Personal Injury Lawyers
KGG’s Corner: Anesthesia errors could be considered a form of medical malpractice.