An analysis of eight years of data found that more than 250,000 people die each year from medical errors. Another study put the estimate higher at more than 400,000. Medical errors are one of the top causes of death in the US. You may be able to sue for medical malpractice in New Jersey if a doctor or other health care professional makes a mistake in your diagnosis and/or treatment.
Falls
One of the most common medical mistakes is falls. You should let health care workers know if you have problems with dizziness and balance or if you’re on medications that have such side effects. They must take extra precautions to ensure you don’t fall. Health care workers also need to keep cables and other trip hazards out of the way. They must promptly clean up spills and bodily fluids as well.
Drug errors
Doctors or pharmacists sometimes make mistakes in prescribing drugs. They may have prescribed you the wrong one, or they made a mistake with the spelling. Pharmacists might also accidentally give you the wrong medication. You should always double check that you received the correct prescription. Whenever your doctor prescribes a new medication for you, research it to ensure it’s relevant to your condition. Also, keep a list of all vitamins and supplements that you take even if they seem minor like a multivitamin. Your doctor needs this information to make the best choices in prescriptions.
Improper discharge
Hospital staff should give you instructions on how to finish recovering at home. They should also avoid discharging you too soon.
Wrong-site surgery
This is a rare type of medical malpractice, although it’s the one that gets the most attention because it’s one of the scariest possibilities. This issue is preventable by following pre-surgery safety procedures. As the patient, you can check that they mark the correct area of your body before surgery.
Most medical errors that occur aren’t as drastic as leaving a surgical tool inside the patient. They can, however, still negatively impact the patient’s health and lead to serious injury or death.