As Americans (and Connecticut residents), we pride ourselves on believing that we have some of the best healthcare in the world.
But do we?
Did you know that compared to other industrialized nations, the U.S. spends the most but ranks near the bottom in life expectancy?
Another scary fact – medical errors and drug side effects are the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., behind cardiovascular disease, cancer, and now COVID-19. It's estimated that as many as 440,000 people die in America each year from medical errors and drug side effects (and according to some experts, that may well be an underestimate of the actual death count).
Incredible – right?
Let's break down some of the problem areas…
- Bad diagnoses. This problem is the cause of death for up to 80,000 U.S. citizens a year. It's estimated that this country's misdiagnosis rate is between 10-15% of all cases.
- Injury from medical devices. Did you know that few medical devices are rigorously tested before they are brought to market? The result – 1.7 million injuries and over 80,000 deaths per year.
- Health-associated infections (HAI). When you go to a medical facility, you don't expect to get an infection during your treatment and care – right? One in thirty-one patients a day gets an HAI. Over 70,000 die from these infections annually. And that number is climbing year-over-year.
- Pregnancy and childbirth. Women in America are almost twice as likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than women in other wealthy industrialized nations.
- Medication mistakes. This problem results in about 125,000 deaths a year. And that doesn't count the death and injury occurring due to polypharmacy – the practice of giving patients multiple prescription drugs simultaneously.
What's a consumer to do?
Here are a few suggestions:
- Conduct careful research on any and all therapies recommended by your physician.
- When in any doubt – seek a second opinion.
- When doing your own research, always seek to determine who paid for the study you are looking at?
- And finally, ask lots of questions.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by a misdiagnosis, a medical procedure, a medical device, or a drug, call a qualified Connecticut medical malpractice lawyer. A knowledgeable medical malpractice attorney can help to ensure that your rights are protected.
RisCassi & Davis has handled hundreds of medical malpractice cases over our more than 60 years serving the people of Connecticut.
What’s more, our Connecticut medical malpractice lawyers have received local and national recognition for our handling of these cases.
We have a great team of legal experts dedicated to protecting consumers in Connecticut. Please contact us if we can help you. The consultation is free, and there is no obligation of any kind.