Improving Health Care by Studying Medical Malpractice Lawsuits from the Past

Posted on

In an interesting development in the field of medicine, medical malpractice insurers have begun combing through thousands of medical malpractice lawsuits from the past to identify common themes in these claims. By recognizing emerging similarities, doctors, hospitals, and medical facilities are better able to prepare for, prevent, and proactively address threats to patient safety.

Today, medical malpractice remains a consistent problem for doctors, malpractice insurers, and most importantly, for patients. According to a 2013 study in the journal Health Affairs, the average doctor dedicates over 50 months, nearly 11% of a 40-year career, to an unresolved, protracted medical malpractice case. Insurance companies are similarly daunted by medical malpractice claims, as compensation amounts increase approximately 4 percent each year. But who suffers most from medical negligence? Obviously, the innocent patients who are forced to cope with devastating health consequences, if not the loss of a loved one, due to often preventable medical errors.

A recent study in the BMJ revealed that medical errors result in the deaths of approximately 251,000 Americans each year, representing the third-leading cause of death in the United States. Now, by venturing into the past, researchers can identify the most common forms of error that jeopardize patient health outcomes. The Doctors Company, which is the largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer, has investigated over 10,000 closed medical malpractice cases in over 40 studies conducted in the last few years. Meanwhile, Crico, the malpractice insurer for Harvard Medical School-affiliated doctors and hospitals, has evaluated concerns associated with primary care.

Overall, there are emerging themes that transcend nearly every medical specialty, with failure to diagnose and improper technique during a procedure chief among the prevailing medical errors. Researchers have also drilled down into specific practice areas, such as anesthesiology, emergency treatmentcardiology, and obstetrics, to identify common errors that occur within medical specialties.

For instance, in the field of obstetrics, a strikingly frequent cause for malpractice claims involves birth injuries to infants who have higher-than-average birth weights. In many of these cases, infants suffer an injury known as shoulder dystocia due to errors during delivery. Shoulder dystocia is a condition that arises when one or both of the child’s shoulders becomes wedged behind the mother’s pubic bone. Without immediate and accurate execution of one of the accepted maneuvers to correct this issue, shoulder dystocia can result in brachial plexus injuries and other permanent functional deficits. It is important to note that certain risk factors increase the likelihood of higher birth weights and corresponding conditions. For example, mothers who are overweight or those who suffer from gestational diabetes have infants who are at greater risk.

Ultimately, knowledge is power, and medical professionals can only benefit from understanding the mistakes of the past. However, when medical malpractice does, in fact, harm the patient, negligent parties must be held accountable. If you or someone you love has suffered as a result of medical malpractice, contact Fronzuto Law Group today for a free consultation. Our knowledgeable attorneys are happy to discuss the circumstances of your case and to answer all of your questions.

For additional information, access the following article: Clues to Better Health Care From Old Malpractice Lawsuits

Recent BlogPosts

  • February, 2024

    Common Forms of Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Doctor Malpractice and When You May Have Grounds for a Lawsuit

    If you have ever had sleep issues, allergies, neck cancer, or skin disorders, you may have sought diagnostic and treatment help from an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist, known as an ENT. An ENT specializes in otolaryngology, the study of ear, nose, and throat conditions. In essence, these doctors treat diseases and disorders of the […]

    READ MORE
  • January, 2024

    The Complex Relationship Between Religion and Medical Malpractice

    The United States Constitution protects religious freedom. Although the nation is historically Judeo-Christian, people of all faiths practice their religions throughout the American landscape. In the last half-century, federal and state laws and policies increasingly bolstered religious protections, especially in medicine. Conscience laws allow medical practitioners to refuse medical care under certain circumstances when their […]

    READ MORE
  • January, 2024

    The Legal Team at Fronzuto Law Group Obtains $1 Million in Damages for Negligent Nerve Block Injuries 

    Improper Implementation of a Nerve Block Before Surgery Leads to Permanent Disability One of Fronzuto Law Group’s latest medical malpractice case victories concerns the negligent performance of a nerve block prior to shoulder surgery, which ultimately left an otherwise healthy 46-year-old woman permanently disabled. While the woman was scheduled for a relatively standard surgical procedure […]

    READ MORE

Free Case
Evaluation

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Officelocations