MEDICAL MALPRACTICE EXPLAINED

21%

of patients report having experienced a medical error

Each year, thousands of patients' lives are forever changed due to preventable healthcare mistakes.

FACT

+ OVER 1 MILLION

The U.S. healthcare system prioritizes speed and efficiency, which can result in patients dying from preventable medical errors.

people suffer injuries

Generally Accepted Standard of Care

This is defined as "the type and level of care an ordinary, prudent, health care professional, with the same training and experience, would provide under similar circumstances in the same community."

TREATMENT MUST MEET THE

10%

of the deaths in the U.S. are due to medical errors

According to Johns Hopkins University:

FACT

According to the WHO diagnostic errors cause roughly 10 percent of patient deaths.

FACT

One in seven Medicare patients experience a medical error while in the hospital.

FACT

Between 49 and 53 percent of all medical errors involved nurses with less than one year of experience.

FACT

Proper hand washing can reduce the rate of healthcare-associated diseases by 64 percent.

FACT

1 ERROR OF COMMISSION

A medical malpractice case can be based on any type of medical error.

An error of commission occurs when a healthcare provider's active negligence results in patient injury.

2 ERROR OF OMISSION

A medical malpractice case can be based on any type of medical error.

An error of omission occurs when a healthcare worker fails to take a necessary action.

Michigan law divides damages up into two categories: economic and non-economic.

1

Economic damages  can readily have a dollar amount assigned to them.

Examples of economic damages include:

Past and future medical expenses Lost wages and decreased earning capacity Care giving expenses Other out-of-pocket expenses

DAMAGES

Michigan law divides damages up into two categories: economic and non-economic.

2

Non-economic damages are hard to quantify in terms of dollars and cents.

Examples of non-economic damages include:

Pain and suffering  Emotional trauma Inability to perform tasks that causes a detriment to a patient's way of life Loss of enjoyment of activities

DAMAGES

In Michigan, there is no maximum on economic damages.

Experience Matters

Choosing a law firm to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit can be the most important decision you make for your and your family's future. 

Call now for your free consultation

At Sommers Schwartz, we proudly represent medical malpractice victims and their families.