Professionals in any occupation can be sued, but it was reported that five of the 10 most sued professionals work in the various fields of medicine. Wisconsin residents may find it interesting that the 10 areas of specialties that face the most medical malpractice claims are also those of the physicians that save the most lives. They are oncology, urology, pulmonary medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, plastic surgery, gastroenterology, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery and thoracic-cardiovascular surgery.
The Medical Malpractice Center indicates that the third largest cause of death nationwide is medical negligence. Of the total, an estimated 195,000 deaths result from physicians’ errors while approximately 80,000 to 100,000 people die because of misdiagnosis each year. Mistakes can be made by professionals in any field; however, only in some areas can errors result in deaths. While doctors may always aim to save lives, mistakes can bring about exactly the opposite.
In many cases, patients or their families who believe that negligence caused the consequences they suffered after medical treatment choose to file lawsuits against medical professionals in pursuit of the recovery of damages. Some such claims are successful and monetary judgments are entered. So much so that the total amount that patients and families of deceased patients received nationwide in the period from 1986 to 2010 was $38.8 billion.
However, Wisconsin families or patients who are considering such action may want to take note that medical malpractice lawsuits are complicated. It might be best navigated by an attorney who is experienced in this field of the law. In most cases, expert witnesses will be required, which will likely be among the resources to which an attorney has access.
Source: stocktalkreview.com, “10 Most Common Causes of Malpractice Suits Against Physicians“, Maria Mancic, Aug. 23, 2017
