“Never events” in medicine — or mistakes with consequences so grave that they never should occur — still occur with regularity throughout the United States. Although doctors do not intentionally try to harm patients, they certainly need to be careful, especially with procedures that can lead to death.
Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, writes about the impact of “never events” in his column for the Chicago Lawyer’s June/July issue, titled, “‘Never Events’ Still Happening,” drawing on several examples of avoidable medical errors that led to horrific outcomes for patients.
“There should be numerous checks and balances to prevent “never events,” because, as I’ve told many juries, no doctor or medical professional wakes up in the morning intending to do harm. They simply make mistakes.”
To read Mr. Clifford’s article in full, click here.