Published on behalf of Medical malpractice in emergency rooms, hospitals, and doctors’ offices happens every day. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. A great piece of advice for young lawyers who are just starting out – it’s a given that you’re going to make mistakes; it’s what you do to correct those mistakes that will make you a good lawyer versus a bad one. This applies not only to the young lawyer just starting out, but to everyone in all professions. Medical doctors are no exception.
A recent study was published in Health Affairs, entitled: “Survey Shows That At Least Some Physicians Are Not Always Open Or Honest With Patients.” This February 2012 article discussed some disappointing, yet not too surprising statistics. Roughly 20% of the 1,891 practicing physicians who participated in the survey admitted they failed to fully disclose a medical error within the past year. Another 33% did not completely agree with the need for such disclosure.
Unfortunately, medical errors are all too common. In many instances, patients don’t even discover that a medical mistake occurred. In cases where a mistake leads to serious injury or death, the patient or their family might not discover the relationship between the mistake and the injury. The recent Health Affairs study backs up what we see day after day in our medical malpractice law practice, medical providers who fail to disclose important information like a medical mistake, or worse, actively conceal the mistake from the patient.
One of the firm’s former clients underwent a relatively routine gallbladder removal surgery. However, during the surgery her bowel was perforated. This error wasn’t discovered until days later. The client nearly died. After multiple surgeries, she has persistent digestive problems. A jury awarded her over $20 million in damages.
Again, as human beings, we all make mistakes and it’s what we do to correct those mistakes that builds character. It’s no different for the medical profession.
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The medical malpractice lawyers at Schwartz & Blackman handle cases in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area:
- PA: Berks County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia County, Allentown, Lehigh Valley, Norristown, Philadelphia
- NJ: Atlantic County, Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Camden, Cherry Hill, New Jersey shore cities