In our previous blog, “Medical Malpractice Claims in Georgia,” we defined medical malpractice and gave an overview of establishing liability, compensation, and evidence in these cases. Below, we will go further into detail about common types of medical malpractice claims and statistics.
U.S. Medical Malpractice Statistics
The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) collects data concerning the number of Adverse Action Reports (AAR) and medical malpractice payments made each year. Medical malpractice payments refer to the settlement awards that are given to claimants as a result of a claim or complaint based on a healthcare professional’s failure to provide adequate healthcare services. AARs are reports that include actions taken against healthcare practitioners and suppliers, including medical malpractice claims.
According to their data from 1990 to September 2022, over 491,350 medical malpractice reports have been made, and over 1,030,000 adverse action reports were filed in the United States. In Georgia, 10,057 medical malpractice payment reports and 16,314 AARs were made.
The Aon/ASHRM Hospital and Physician Professional Liability Benchmark Report has also shown that medical malpractice insurance providers pay $50,000 per $1 million on average for policyholders. The two most common causes of claims within their research period were:
- treatment-related issues and
- labor and delivery-related issues.
7 Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice claims are born out of incidents where a medical professional causes a patient further injury because of negligent or reckless actions. Here are the frequent types of medical malpractice incidents that occur.
- Misdiagnosis. About 33% of medical malpractice claims occur because of misdiagnosis, which involves telling a patient they have the incorrect condition. In these cases, patients can suffer further medical issues because of unnecessary treatment or surgeries as well as continued complications from their actual condition. This can occur if lab results are misread or mixed up, the patient’s medical history is not properly explored, or the wrong tests are ordered. A common type of misdiagnosis is cancer misdiagnosis.
- Medication errors. Issues in the pharmacy or with the prescription written can lead to serious health issues or the death of a patient.
- Surgical errors. Doctors can sometimes make mistakes during the surgery, such as wrong limb amputation, instruments left in the patient, or other surgical errors.
- Birth injuries. Mothers and babies can suffer injuries before, during, and after birth that can be avoided. Common causes of birth injuries include failure to monitor mother or child during and after birth, failure to use tools accurately or safely during birth, failure to perform a needed C-section, failure to offer quality prenatal care, and overusing labor-inducing drugs.
- Failure to diagnose. If a medical professional does not offer a patient a diagnosis or refer the person to a specialist, which leads to the worsening of their condition, the patient may bring a claim forward.
- Delayed diagnosis. This form of medical malpractice occurs when healthcare professionals delay in offering a patient a formal medical diagnosis because of negligence.
- Anesthesia errors. During surgery, a patient may suffer complications or death if they are given too much or not enough anesthesia.
Trusted & Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Suffering injuries in a medical malpractice incident can affect your financial, emotional, and physical health. You can pursue economic (i.e. hospital bills, prescription expenses, etc.) and non-economic damages (i.e. compensation for pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, etc.) in a medical malpractice suit. To allow yourself time to heal and better your chances of achieving favorable outcomes, you should consult with our medical malpractice attorneys.
Balbo & Gregg, Attorneys at Law, PC is known for providing our clients with premier legal counsel and working tirelessly to help our clients achieve the best possible case results. If you or a loved one have suffered because of negligence by medical professionals, our attorneys can help you understand your legal rights and options and make informed case decisions. We can also help you with calculating your damages, establishing liability, collecting evidence, and handling other case legalities.
Call (866) 580-3089 or complete our online contact form today and schedule your complimentary case evaluation.