Everyday hundreds of thousands of people put their lives in the hands of medical professionals to protect or increase quality of life. When physicians, surgeons, nurses, radiologists, paramedics and dentists make a mistake, whether through ignorance or negligence, life can change in an instant. The law identifies medical malpractice as instances where the healthcare provider falls below the applic
able standard of care when treating a patient. Standard of care refers to the level of attention and concern that a reasonable person would exercise. A closer look at the impact of medical malpractice indicates more than 250,000 people in the United States die each year from medical errors. One study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association and Johns Hopkins Medicine found medical errors are the number three cause of death and are often an under-recognized reason for death.
