A California city is hosting a march seeking to promote medical malpractice reform. The march hopes to raise awareness concerning the proliferation of harm from medical negligence, and the obstacles to obtaining justice.
The impetus for the march arose after a California man seeking treatment for sepsis subsequently died from an undiagnosed lung hemorrhage. The man sought treatment at three separate facilities and was sent home each time with only medication. The fourth time, he died in an ER after arriving by ambulance.
Adding to the trauma, the man's family members faced difficulty finding a medical malpractice attorney to bring a wrongful death lawsuit. Pursuant to the Medical Injury Compensation Act (MICRA), which was enacted in 1975, caps on non-economic damages are limited to $250,000, a sum that has not been adjusted for inflation. This means that for individuals without substantial economic damages (i.e. lost wages), the compensation awarded after bringing a lawsuit may be minimal. As such, families who’ve lost a loved one due to medical negligence may be victimized twice - losing a loved one due to medical neglect and being denied justice in the court system.
The Manteca march seeks to raise awareness concerning the injustice of California’s current medical malpractice system and advocates for change. The group endorses "The Fairness for Injured Patients Act," an initiative that will be on the November 8, 2022 ballot.
Medical errors remain the third-leading cause of death in the country.
As California medical malpractice lawyers committed to patient safety, we support this initiative and efforts to help those harmed by negligence obtain justice. For more information or if you or a loved one has been injured due to medical neglect, please contact the dedicated San Francisco personal injury lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for a confidential consultation.