In a perfect world, there would be no such thing as medical malpractice because every doctor, nurse and health care professional would make no mistakes and every procedure, diagnosis and prescription would be correct. Unfortunately, we do not live in this perfect world. We live in a world where doctors and nurses are humans too, and they make mistakes just like any other human. According to new statistics, the number of these mistakes may be rising.
New York City is one of the grandest, most illustrious cities in the entire world, let alone the United States. Many of our country’s most elite and accomplished professionals reside in New York, and many more ambitious artists and business executives often come to the Big Apple to make their fortune. This is generally true for medical professionals as well, but just because New York City boasts some of the greatest medical professionals in the country does not mean that New York City residents will never experience medical malpractice.
In fact, compared to 2013, the number of medical malpractice claims in hospitals operated by the Health and Hospitals Corporation increased in the most recent fiscal year. HHC serves nearly 1.5 million patients, making it larger than any other municipal health care system in the country. Back in the fiscal year of 2014, there were 876 medical malpractice claims, but in fiscal year 2015, that number reached more than 900.
This information is not meant to frighten people away from the hospital or any other health care provider. If you are sick or injured, it is always in your best interests to visit a doctor. It simply serves as a reminder that medical professionals can make mistakes as well, so if you leave the doctor’s office feeling worse than you did going in, do not hesitate to contact an attorney and pursue legal recourse.
Source: Sputnik News, “Malpractice Claims at New York City Hospitals Increasing in 2015,” Nov. 11, 2015