It takes a lot of faith to put our lives into the hands of others. Patients do just that every time they consent to receive medical care and treatment. Their health and well-being – sometimes even their lives – are on the line when they trust in medical practitioners and healthcare facilities. Whether they are receiving treatment for a minor injury or having open-heart surgery, there is an expectation they will be safe and secure in the hands of medical professionals.
Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Third, only behind heart disease and cancer, medical errors are the leading cause of death in the U.S. It is unclear how many people may be living with permanent disabilities caused by negligent medical care, since many do not publicly discuss their injuries. The Institute of Health estimated that as many as 1 in 5 Americans are the victims of medical malpractice. Roughly 40 percent of those patients said they did not file a complaint about medical errors because they were unsure of how to make one.