Atlanta Medical Malpractice Resource Center
Each year, thousands of people undergo medical treatment for health or elective reasons. While the field of medicine has come a long way over the past few decades, there are still many risks involved. Sometimes human error in medical procedures can lead to severe injury or illness. If you are a victim of medical malpractice, you have likely been left with many more questions than answers.
The Atlanta medical malpractice lawyers of Webb, Wade & Taylor, LLC have provided this resource page to help you find the answers that you need regarding your medical accident. From medical malpractice laws to awareness campaigns, the Atlanta Medical Malpractice Resource Center is designed to provide information to individuals and families like yours who have been harmed by malpractice.
Medical Malpractice in the United States
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), approximately 225,000 wrongful deaths are caused by medical malpractice each year. Some of the types of malpractice that contribute to this total include surgical malpractice, infections, prescription errors, medication side effects, and wrong diagnoses.
Based on statistics provided by the JAMA, wrongful deaths that occur annually from medical malpractice are categorized as follows:
- 106,000 patient deaths per year from negative medication side effects
- 80,000 patient deaths per year from infections contracted in hospitals
- 20,000 patient deaths per year from unspecified medical errors
- 12,000 patient deaths per year from unnecessary surgery
- 7,000 patient deaths per year from prescription errors
Medication errors are an especially common form of medical malpractice. Each year an estimated 1.5 million people suffer negative effects from mistakes made in prescriptions and filling medications.
The following websites provide useful information regarding medical malpractice risks:
Medical Malpractice Laws and Lawsuits
Under Georgia law, anyone who suffers injury or illness because of a medical error has the right to initiate a lawsuit to recover compensation for his or her injuries and damages. An individual harmed by medical malpractice may recover up to $250,000 for punitive damages, unless there is evidence that the medical professional had intent to harm the patient.
The statute of limitations for bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit is 2 years in the state of Georgia. This means that a person who has been harmed by medical malpractice may initiate a lawsuit up to 2 years after the date on which the act of malpractice occurred. If the injury was not discovered until after the two-year period, the time limit may be extended by three years.
Awareness Campaigns
To help reduce the risk of medical malpractice, the Food and Drug Administration has launched a campaign to reduce medication errors. Read more about the new effort here:
If you are concerned about a medication that you are currently taking or suspect that you have suffered negative side effects from a medication, the FDA MedWatch site is an ideal resource for finding information on warnings, health risks, and recalls:
