“Dead by Mistake” Tracks Medical Malpractice Stories

It has been more than a decade since the National Institute of Medicine recommended that the health care industry stop blaming doctors and nurses for medical errors and start looking at prevention. An investigation by Hearst Newspapers has found that very little has changed since that time. A proposed mandatory nationwide system for reporting and analyzing medical mistakes was never created, while the rate of medical error is increasing.

The investigation by Hearst, which included a team of investigators and several hundred interviews, has resulted in the launching of a website called “Death by Mistake” which highlights the stories of people victimized of medical malpractice. Some studies estimate that 98,000 people die every year from medical mistakes that could have been prevent. That equates to more deaths each month than occurred in the 9/11 attacks. This figure does not include the estimated 99,000 people who die each year from hospital-acquired infections.

The website also has a hospital safety database for several states, and tells the story of many medical malpractice victims.

To visit Dead by Mistake click here.

The medical malpractice lawyers at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families who have been impacted by medical negligence and other negligence related accidents. Cases are taken on a contingency fee, and all consultations are free and confidential.