Patient rights protection might not be the first thing you think about when you or a loved one has to go to a hospital. You may not always need it, but when you do, you’re sure glad it’s there.
Why is patient rights protection important?
To explain why patient rights protection is important, let me share what may be a shocking statistic. Fact: Research shows that each year, 98,000 lives will be lost to preventable medical errors. Do you know what the keyword is in that sentence? It’s “preventable” and it means that these medical errors that cause wrongful death can be avoided. These are errors that should not happen and these deaths should not happen.
If we can improve patient rights protection, we can do two things. We can both improve health care and decrease the number of deaths from preventable medical errors.
Is anyone fighting for patient rights protection?
Yes, certified civil trial lawyers are fighting for patient rights protection. The American Association for Justice, formerly called the Association of Trial Lawyers in America, has recently spent its own resources to advocate and fight for patient rights protection. The goal? Make health care more affordable for everyone.
In order to make a difference, 30 public service “billboards” that will be displayed at Union Station Metro in Washington, D.C. during the entire month of December. The campaign has already gotten a ton of positive press coverage. You can read about the effort on Politico and on NationalJournal.com.
Each ad will tell a story of someone who was hurt by medical negligence. This is an investment of $100,000, but it shows how important health care is to medical malpractice attorneys. New Jersey attorneys see cases with surgical errors and medical mistakes all too often. In addition to fighting for their clients, they’re fighting for all Americans to get better health care.
What about tort reform? Will it help with patient rights protection?
Tort reform will not help with patient rights protection. Think about who’s pushing tort reform — insurance lobbyists and corporate nursing homes. Why? They’re trying to make more money. Tort reform takes away rights, it doesn’t support them. It won’t help improve health care; it will just make things worse.
What if I’m not being protected?
Talk to a medical malpractice attorney. At the Mininno Law Office, we have experienced New Jersey attorneys who have dealt with these cases all too often. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have or offer any help you need. Call (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Pennsylvania.