Medical errors third-leading cause of death in U.S.

When you go to the hospital, you want to feel safe and in good hands.

But now a new report has found that the number of people who have suffered some kind of harm due to errors at U.S. hospitals every year may be much higher than previously thought.
According to the study published in the December issue of Journal of Patient Safety, between 210,000 and 440,000 patients who go into the hospital each year fall victim to medical errors that contribute to their death.

That makes medical errors the third-leading cause of death in America ??" second only behind heart disease and cancer.

Some of the most common medical malpractice claims include misdiagnosis, surgical error, failure to follow up with treatment in a timely manner, anesthesia error and medication or prescription error.

If you or a loved one has suffered due to a medical error, you should know that state laws vary regarding medical malpractice.

However, injury and causation are required for a medical malpractice claim to move forward. An injury must first be acknowledged by an expert medical witness, then the cause of the injury must be determined. And if direct negligence cannot be established, it must be proven that the injury could have been avoided.