Any medical mistake can result in serious injury or fatality. Each day, hospitals, doctors and nurses must follow protocols and established standards of care to avoid the mistakes than can harm patients. To this end, hospitals are responsible for implementing policies that help to identify patient needs, prevent infection, and ensure that care be properly administered. Unfortunately, in New York City and nationwide, common medical mistakes continue to haunt patient care. Here are common, but shocking, medical mistakes that have lead to malpractice claims from Block O’Toole & Murphy, a leading firm for medical malpractice cases.