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May 16, 2008

Medical Malpractice and Hospital Negligence

When people go to the doctor or visit the hospital, they do so under the assumption that their medical needs will be handled with professionalism and competence. Unfortunately, doctors, nurses and paramedics prove themselves to be just as human as the rest of us.

There is an enormous difference between the mistakes made by plumbers, mechanics or secretaries and the mistakes made by those that work in the medical profession. A mistake made by a surgeon, pharmacist or general practitioner could have profound effects on those that have to suffer through them.

The State of Malpractice in Kentucky

The citizens of Kentucky are quite lucky in comparison to those in other states. Our levels of medical malpractice incidents are quite low. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, there were only 2,133 payments to victims of medical malpractice by doctors in Kentucky between 1990 and 2003. That’s only 1.1% of the payments that were made nationally over this thirteen year period.

This speaks volumes about the skill and professionalism of our doctors and nurses. It is gratifying to know that if you are sick or injured in Kentucky, the odds of receiving first rate care and treatment are in your favor.

The New Realities of the Business of Medicine

While our medical professionals are performing on a better-than-average scale, they are by no means perfect. Nor are the facilities in which they practice. The hospitals of today are mostly governed by HMO’s and other organizations that place almost as high a premium on profits as they do on patient care. This means that many of our doctors and nurses are working longer hours, and are discouraged from performing tests and procedures that might prove costly. The end result of this “profits first” mentality could be a missed diagnosis, or a correct diagnosis that comes too late.

While it might seem strange to many of us that health care is treated as a business, the corporations that now govern our hospitals treat is as such, and they are very serious about it. They have stockholders, insurers, boards of directors, accountants that provide cost/benefit analyses, and, inevitably, high priced attorneys.

Individual doctors also have high priced attorneys, which are retained on their behalf by their medical malpractice insurers. They are aggressive and experienced, and as a rule they rarely settle, even if the evidence against their clients is substantial.

Those that file medical malpractice suits against medical corporations or individual doctors should expect a fight. In cases where you or a loved one has been injured due to the actions of a medical professional, having an experienced attorney to represent your interests is crucial.

Daryl T. Dixon: Making a Lasting Difference for the Injured of Kentucky

Kentucky Attorney Daryl T. Dixon has fought for decent treatment for the injured for over six years. One of the key areas of his practice has been protecting the rights of victims of medical malpractice.

By combining his thorough knowledge of the law with his passion and commitment to his clients, Daryl has consistently brought favorable results to those he has represented. He routinely consults with some of the foremost medical experts in the country, and is an expert at describing to judges, juries and arbitrators exactly how his clients were injured.

Daryl is currently accepting cases involving:

Wrong Diagnosis: This occurs when a doctor mistakes one condition for another, or misreads the symptoms that the patient is exhibiting.

Late Diagnosis: While “better late than never” is true in many circumstances, it certainly isn’t when the situation involves a disease that could have been effectively treated if it had been noticed earlier. This often occurs with certain types of cancer, such as lung or colon cancer. These diseases are sometimes diagnosed as less serious illnesses on a first visit, and by the time the mistake is realized, it’s too late for treatment.

Prescription Error: Doctors can very easily prescribe the wrong medication, whether it’s prescribing something to which the patient is allergic, prescribing the wrong dosage or prescribing something that is incompatible with medication that the patient is already taking.

Hospital Infection: According to the Center for Disease Control, the sixth leading cause of death in America is hospital infections. Patients that receive in-patient care for something as simple as an appendix removal find themselves fighting for their lives due to staph infections. These infections are almost uniformly caused by unsanitary conditions in the hospital and among the staff.

Contact Us Today

If you or a loved one has suffered from adverse physical effects due to the actions of a doctor or other medical professional, you may have reason to file for damages. Contact our offices for a free legal assessment, and we will help you determine whether or not you have been treated fairly.

Library for Medical Malpractice and Hospital Negligence:

• 2006 Was Another Profitable Year for Malpractice Insurers   
  Description: 2006 was yet another profitable year for the nations malpractice insurers. They paid out less and took in more thanks to high premiums.
  
  So why havent they significantly lowered the rates in five years?
• Kentucky Medical Malpractice Report [PDF]   
  Description: This report contains indepth information concerning the ins and outs of kentucky medical malpractice.
• "Why Does President Bush Continue to Attack Trial Attorneys over Medical Malpractice Claims instead of Dealing with the Issue"   
  Description: President Bush lashes out at Trial Attorneys over Medical Malpractice Lawsuits but the American Association for Justice Fights Back with Facts not Fiction
• Norovirus: Nursing Home Epidemic   
  Description: In recent months, there has been a nationwide outbreak of what is called Norovirus. The symptoms usually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people additionally have a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. Outbreaks have been occurring in hotels, on cruise ships, and especially in nursing homes.
  
  For more information, follow the link below.

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