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Medical Mistakes Are Detrimental

On Behalf of | Mar 9, 2019 | Medical Malpractice

When Leilani Schweitzer experienced an incredible loss due to a medical mistake, she turned her grieving into a powerful force that seeks to help others dealing with similar situations.

Schweitzer is currently a patient liaison for Stanford University Hospital’s Risk Management team and her job is to help mediate adverse outcomes (mistakes) when they occur at the hospital. She has this job and understands all sides of the equation because she lost her own child due to a preventable medical error.

If you need a California medical malpractice lawyer, you can count on the knowledgeable and experienced team at Licata & Yeremenko, A Professional Law Corporation to be by your side. They will fight to ensure that you are fairly compensated for what you have been through.

The Pain Of Loss

When Leilani Schweitzer’s son Gabriel was 20 months old, he was taken to a hospital in Nevada where he was misdiagnosed with the stomach flu instead of the chronic brain condition that he really had. This mistake resulted in his being transferred to Stanford Children’s Hospital.

There, a nurse who wanted to help Schweitzer get some rest turned off the alarms on Gabriel’s heart monitor. The nurse also turned off the alarms to the nurse’s station as well. When Gabriel’s heart stopped, nobody knew until it was too late.

Schweitzer said that both hospitals made mistakes in treating her son but both responded completely differently. She has used that experience to help others who experience medical mistakes. Part of her job is bringing all parties together to figure out what happened and how to improve care moving forward.

Medical Mistake Reality

According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Estimates range from 250,000 to 440,000 fatalities a year. However, many millions more survive and are left dealing with the consequences.

What kind of medical mistakes happens?

  • Surgical errors
  • Medication errors
  • Misdiagnosis
  • Healthcare-acquired infections
  • Delayed treatment
  • And more

When you consider how many healthcare professionals the average person sees a year, you can begin to realize the potential for errors. Most of us see our primary care physicians, pharmacists, optometrists, dentists, and more on a regular basis.

How certain are you that you are being given a high standard of medical care every time you visit a healthcare provider?

What Happens Now?

We know that dealing with the effect of a medical mistake can be incredibly difficult. Your focus needs to be on recovery, not fighting to ensure your expenses are covered. At Licata & Yeremenko, A Professional Law Corporation, you and count on a knowledgeable and experienced team to guide you through the process. They will work diligently to secure compensation for all of your incident-related expenses. This includes:

  • Coverage of medical expenses
  • Loss of income and benefits if you cannot work
  • Pain and suffering damages
  • Loss of enjoyment of life damages
  • Punitive damages

If you need a California medical malpractice attorney, you can reach out to us on our website by clicking here or calling us at 818-783-5757.

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