Making Medicine Safer
Medical mistakes. How common are they? What do you do if you are the victim of one?
These questions can be confusing and lead to a multitude of answers. Everyone knows that there are risks in medicine, but that does not mean we should accept ALL medical mistakes as being normal.
Today, we want to talk about a case from our neighboring state of Tennessee that has made the news recently. If you need a Charlotte medical malpractice lawyer, you can count on the team at Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC to be by your side, working to secure the compensation you deserve.
Why Are Medical Malpractice Cases Necessary?
Earlier this year, a nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville was arrested and charged with reckless homicide and abuse. The nurse has been accused of making a medical mistake that resulted in the death of an elderly patient.
She has pleaded not guilty, but there is no dispute that her patient received the wrong medication. The nurse was trying to give her patient an anti-anxiety medication before a procedure. The medication is called Versed. Instead, she ended up giving the patient a legal dose of vecuronium, a paralytic. The medications both have the same first two letters, which is the apparent reason for the mix-up.
We know that medical errors happen at alarming rates. In fact, they are the third leading cause of death in the US. When you consider how many medical professionals we see each year, we can see that millions of people are affected by medical mistakes each year and have to live with the consequences.
In most cases, these mistakes are preventable. However, many people wonder why lawsuits are necessary.
They are necessary for a few reasons.
- Those who are left suffering after a medical mistake are saddled with enormous expenses and a loss of enjoyment of life. They deserve to be fairly compensated.
- Medical malpractice lawsuits are often the only way to bring about changes in the system that will prevent these mistakes from happening to anyone else in the future.
Some common medical mistakes are:
- Diagnostic mistakes
- Delayed treatment
- Spread of infections
- Medication errors
- Surgical mistakes
Regardless of how an error happens, it is important that the negligent medical professional is held accountable for what they have done.
What We Can Do
If you or a loved one have been injured due to the negligence or carelessness of a medical professional, please seek legal assistance now. At Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC, we understand that these cases can become incredibly complicated, but that will not stop us from pursuing the compensation you deserve. This can include:
- Compensation for all medical expenses related to the error(s)
- Coverage of lost income and benefits if you cannot work
- Loss of enjoyment of life damages
- Pain and suffering damages
- Punitive damages against the healthcare provider/agency responsible
When you need a medical malpractice attorney in Charlotte, please contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at 800-948-0577.