Medical Malpractice is the Third Leading Cause of Death

Many people assume cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States, but this is no longer true. It has been relegated to second, as heart disease and related issues such as heart attacks are now the number one cause of death in the U.S.

What is really surprising, however, isn’t that cancer and heart disease top of the list. They are very common ailments people are well aware of, and they often impact people more as they age. Therefore, it makes sense they would be some of the leading causes of death.

What is rather shocking is the third leading cause of death. According to some sources, the third leading cause of death in the United States is medical mistakes.

Errors take many forms

Part of the reason this category is so extensive is simply that it encompasses a lot of different types of mistakes. For example, a doctor could fail to diagnose someone as having a heart attack, and it could be a fatal error. A doctor could also delay the diagnosis of cancer, leading to a fatality that fits into two categories. The cancer itself was responsible for the person’s death, but the delay in diagnosis may mean the cancer couldn’t be as effectively treated.

Sadly, there are too often more egregious medical errors. For instance, surgeons could make a mistake during a procedure that leads to excessive blood loss. Doctors could mix up records and give a patient a type of medication to which they are allergic. There are many different ways even the smallest errors can be highly detrimental to someone.

If you’ve lost a loved one or suffered serious injuries due to a medical error, you need to know how to seek financial compensation.