Medical Malpractice Expert

With the 2008 Presidential election right around the corner, it is obviously the hot topic to surround the water cooler, PTA meetings, school campuses, and boardrooms around the nation. This presidential election is shaking ground having both a female & and an African American running for both Vice President and President alike. Besides who is running, the issues that underline the race are the topics that are going to be causing the most talk. Issues such as the war in Iraq, foreign policy, energy, and medical care are all subject to getting crucial response from both candidates. However, with the recent economic crisis happening on our economy, it is no wonder why much of the debate has been about this topic. Each side of the candidacy has a different proposal that might encourage voters to take a different approach in deciding who they are ultimately going to vote for. With all of these new factors in the race as well as the pressures that come along with getting closer to the actual vote, some issues tend to be overlooked.

In the recent debates the talk about health care has been generally touched over, but nothing to extensive. People are being left wondering what actual change is there going to be in the health care programs if one candidate is elected over another. A major issue that has been affecting the medical industry is medical malpractice. At the end of the summer, medical malpractice insurance rates were frozen so that the Gov. could properly address the situation. Unfortunately in that time we have experienced the economic crisis, which is going to severely affect the attention of medical malpractice. What people want to know from both Obama & McCain is what they are going to do about the medical malpractice freeze as well as the effects are going to be when the decision must be made in June. Most likely the unfreezing of medical malpractice insurance could significantly increase most peoples basic insurance premiums. This is a very serious topic because it affects the lives of so many people in such a small amount of time.

Medical malpractice is a very serious issue that has millions affected every year. If our candidates paid more quality attention to this topic I think it would generally affect the election tremendously. For our two candidates approach medical care in a very different way because their proposals are directly stemming from other sectors of their campaigns. In order to shed light on the issues regarding medical malpractice, we the voters need to place importance of our concern on the topic. In doing this, as a whole we will be able to elect the candidate who knows what they are going to do when instances of medical malpractice arise. If you or a loved one has been directly affected by medical malpractice, contact a lawyer immediately. They will be able to stand up for you in a court of law and stand up for your rights.

The terrifying reality of medical malpractice is that it is often far too late for positive intervention after the event and, even if the claimants are successful in their monetary claims, the damages can never quite be rectified.

Avoidable deaths cost tax payers millions

South Africa is not alone in the fight against medical malpractice and negligence. Recent figures released in Italy indicate that nearly 6% of all their deaths can be attributed to malpractice or simple inefficiency. This means that more Italians die unnecessarily in the hands of health care professionals than to motor vehicle accidents, heart attacks and forms of cancer.

These avoidable deaths cost the Italian tax payer in the region of €10 billion every year, which effectively translates into 1% of the gross domestic profit.

Penis amputations not unheard of

Closer to home, a South African man joined the throngs of other victims worldwide who have had their penises amputated either in error or because they were not correctly diagnosed and not referred to a specialist in time.

This time the health care workers at the Bophelong Hospital in Mafikeng failed to refer the victim to an urologist and opted to lop off his manhood instead. The man successfully claimed R465 000 for the “incident”.

Negligence leads to permanent brain damage

Another horror story that led to the largest medical malpractice claim in the country at the time was the story of an infant girl who, through negligence, was left permanently brain damaged after a relatively minor operation.

The anesthetist failed to examine the two and half month old infant prior to the operation and consequently failed to detect a mild heart defect. What ensued were poor levels of oxygen during the procedure which in turn led to permanent brain damage. Her parent’s laid a claim of R100-million against the George clinic and three of the doctors involved in the procedure.

Erroneous swab causes unbearable complications

A woman who went in for a routine abdomen operation is suing a Johannesburg hospital for R1.3 million. Her wounds became septic shortly after being discharged and, on further investigation, it was discovered that a medical swab had been left in her abdomen during the procedure.

Apart from suffering a nervous breakdown because of the pain associated with the error, she has had to undergo a further two operations to sort out the damages incurred by the negligence, and has since developed diabetes.

Quick medical malpractice shockers

• A man admitted to the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban for a brain tumour biopsy developed gangrene in both the thumb and forefinger because nursing staff failed to monitor the drip adequately. He successfully claimed R1 million from the incumbent Health Minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.

• A mother successfully claimed R78 000 from the department of health after her newborn infant was swapped with another baby following a caesarean section.

• A woman who went in for a routine scar tissue examination is claiming R510 000 from the minister because of an illegal hysterectomy performed on her in error!

With the 2008 Presidential election right around the corner, it is obviously the hot topic to surround the water cooler, PTA meetings, school campuses, and boardrooms around the nation. This presidential election is shaking ground having both a female & and an African American running for both Vice President and President alike. Besides who is running, the issues that underline the race are the topics that are going to be causing the most talk. Issues such as the war in Iraq, foreign policy, energy, and medical care are all subject to getting crucial response from both candidates. However, with the recent economic crisis happening on our economy, it is no wonder why much of the debate has been about this topic. Each side of the candidacy has a different proposal that might encourage voters to take a different approach in deciding who they are ultimately going to vote for. With all of these new factors in the race as well as the pressures that come along with getting closer to the actual vote, some issues tend to be overlooked.

In the recent debates the talk about health care has been generally touched over, but nothing to extensive. People are being left wondering what actual change is there going to be in the health care programs if one candidate is elected over another. A major issue that has been affecting the medical industry is medical malpractice. At the end of the summer, medical malpractice insurance rates were frozen so that the Gov. could properly address the situation. Unfortunately in that time we have experienced the economic crisis, which is going to severely affect the attention of medical malpractice. What people want to know from both Obama & McCain is what they are going to do about the medical malpractice freeze as well as the effects are going to be when the decision must be made in June. Most likely the unfreezing of medical malpractice insurance could significantly increase most peoples basic insurance premiums. This is a very serious topic because it affects the lives of so many people in such a small amount of time.

Medical malpractice is a very serious issue that has millions affected every year. If our candidates paid more quality attention to this topic I think it would generally affect the election tremendously. For our two candidates approach medical care in a very different way because their proposals are directly stemming from other sectors of their campaigns. In order to shed light on the issues regarding medical malpractice, we the voters need to place importance of our concern on the topic. In doing this, as a whole we will be able to elect the candidate who knows what they are going to do when instances of medical malpractice arise. If you or a loved one has been directly affected by medical malpractice, contact a lawyer immediately. They will be able to stand up for you in a court of law and stand up for your rights.