For years, the leading causes of death in the United States have been heart disease, cancer, respiratory illnesses and accidents. Until very recently, the metrics did not include those who perished due to completely preventable causes, such as negligence or other medical mistakes. Physicians in New Mexico and around the country are now paying more attention to the assertion that medical malpractice could be the third most prevalent cause of death in this country.
Ways patients can avoid death due to negligence and other errors
Parents pursue medical malpractice suit for son's injuries
When a child falls ill, in most cases, his or her parents immediately rush him or her to a doctor in order to determine the cause. For some children, however, the diagnosis may not be straightforward. In these cases, a pediatrician will often order tests and seek additional guidance from specialists. Readers in New Mexico may be interested in an article that details a recently filed medical malpractice lawsuit. The suit was filed by parents after their son was irreparably harmed due to the lack of care he received.
Paramedic charged in wrongful death of patient; city pays $1.2 M
When a medical disaster strikes, people count on the care of EMT's and paramedics. These individuals arrive then 911 is called, and they are highly-trained to administer emergency care in high-stress environments. While rare, there are cases in which a paramedic is lax in patient care, which can result in the death of a patient. Readers in New Mexico may be interested in a recent case in which a paramedic was deemed directly responsible for a patient's death, and the patient's surviving family members received over a million dollars from the city in compensation after they sued for wrongful death.
Jury awards $53 million in brain injury medical malpractice suit
It is rare that lawsuits involving well-known academic hospitals and brain injury patients end up in a jury trial. Often, these medical malpractice claims are settled via mediation or in other more private ways before they reach that point. However, a recent verdict awarded millions in restitution that may give hope to those in New Mexico who have been through a similar tragic ordeal.
