Recent reporting out of Uttar Pradesh, one of India’s largest (and poorest) states, has exposed significant medical negligence problems in the region. In a particularly troubling scenario, one patient had his amputated leg placed under his own head like a pillow. Just last year, a group of children died from oxygen shortages and 46 people were infected with HIV due to a physician re-using infected syringes, according to Daily Nation.
Here in the United States, we are incredibly fortunate that these types of horror stories do not happen as often. Strict laws, medical regulations, and better funding all make these nightmare scenarios practically unthinkable. Sadly, however, although not as prevalent as in some parts of the world, medical errors actually do happen in the U.S. In fact, they happen more frequently than most people would like to admit. Here are a few examples of similar cases from our own country.
Over 5,000 Patients Potentially Exposed to HIV in U.S. Hospitals
In 2016, over 5,000 patients in Colorado, Arizona, California, and Washington were informed that they may have been exposed to Hepatitis B and C and HIV. You can read more here.
Accidental New Hampshire HIV Exposure
Just this year, a New Hampshire diabetic patient was accidentally injected with a used insulin needle previously used on a person with HIV. This shows a serious lack of infection control measures or, at a minimum, a lack of training and supervision.
Healthcare Exposure to Infection and Disease
Despite efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), thousands of Americans are needlessly exposed to communicable diseases and infections each year, due to medical mistakes and negligence. Sometimes it happens because of poor adherence to infection control standards. Other times, it is just laziness or carelessness by staff. Yet other times, it is the result of a systems failure at the institutional level. Whatever the reasons, though, the result is the same for the victims. No one should go to a healthcare institution to get better, only to be made worse.
Medical Malpractice Wrongful Death – Third Leading Cause of Death in U.S.
A new study from Johns Hopkins Medicine says that severe medical negligence could account for more than 250,000 patient deaths each year, making this the third leading cause of death in the U.S. The problem may not just be the rate of errors, but rather the fact that healthcare priorities are based on death rates. So, for instance, research, grants, and funding are all focused on things like heart disease, cancer, and other diseases that are among the top five leading causes of death.
Long Island Medical Malpractice Lawyers
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries or death at the hands of negligent healthcare providers, you need a reputable Long Island medical malpractice lawyer. You need someone aggressive and yet compassionate enough to listen and understand your situation. You are not alone. Hundreds of thousands of people are injured or killed by negligent doctors, nurses, hospitals, and other healthcare providers each year. Getting justice and compensation for these horrible injuries is just the beginning.
At the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP our medical malpractice attorneys help our clients figure out what happened and why. We focus on putting our clients first and helping them get through what may be the most difficult and emotional time of their lives. Give us a call any time at (516) 358-6900 to schedule a completely free initial consultation at . We never collect a fee unless we are able to help you get compensated.
