Common Types Of Medical Malpractice Claims
According to the Journal of Patient Safety, medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the U.S, causing approximately 440,000 deaths annually. However, not every medical or surgical complication is medical malpractice, so talk with your lawyer to determine if your injuries resulted from a doctor’s negligence.
Failure To Diagnose
Many medical malpractices fail in this category. A doctor may fail to diagnose the right illness or treat the wrong disease. For instance, a doctor may fail to diagnose cancer, resulting in fatal consequences. If diagnosed early, cancer can be manageable or cured. All misdiagnosis cases qualify as medical malpractice, and the doctor is liable for the harm or death.
Surgical Errors
Errors caused by a wrong surgery can cause death or affect patients’ lives. Examples of surgical errors are; damaging organs or tissues during surgery, performing incorrect or unnecessary surgery, leaving medical equipment in the patient’s body, or using non-sterile equipment. Even though patients sign a consent form to acknowledge the risks of death or complications, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t sue a doctor because of surgical errors.
Medical Product Liability
Some manufacturers can distribute faulty and poorly designed medical devices, causing harm to patients. A device can fail to work as intended, causing injuries, worsening the condition, or even death. Unfortunately, faulty equipment can cause harm to many patients before the issue is detected. If a manufacturer fails to detect faults, they can be held liable.
Anesthesia Mistakes
If a nurse fails to review the patient’s medical history or monitor the patient’s reactions during surgery, that is a form of medical malpractice. Such mistakes can lead to death or permanent injuries.
Dental Errors
Dental malpractice occurs when a patient gets injuries from a dentist’s negligence, delayed treatment or diagnosis, or failure to treat a serious dental condition. Such issues are good reasons to seek a claim.
Bedsores
Bedsores occur when a patient is left lying in the same position for a long time. They show that the patient is getting inadequate care or negligence. If left untreated, bedsores can cause serious infections and pain. If your loved one has suffered serious bedsores, you can sue the hospital and get compensation.
Failure To Treat
A medical professional may sometimes diagnose a condition and fail to administer the right treatment. This is usually common with doctors with so many patients to attend, thus failing to offer follow-up care. In some instances, a doctor can leave an accident victim unattended and cater to other patients. Although you should consult a commercial truck accident lawyer, you can also consult a personal injury lawyer for medical negligence.
Birth Injury
This is among the most devastating kinds of medical malpractice. It pains to wait for a child, only to get unexpected results caused by a medical professional. The common birth injuries are shoulder dystocia, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, nerve damage, or death. Some birth injuries can result in lifetime medical care, so a medical professional should be liable to the victim.
Prescription Errors
Medication errors can be caused by medical mix-ups, prescribing incorrect dosage, disregarding allergies, or prescribing medicine without considering the patient’s age. This can occur in a pharmacy or hospital, causing death or a serious health problem. If you get injuries from prescription errors, contact your lawyer for claims. It is very easy to trace cases of medication errors.
Medical malpractice sometimes occurs without causing injuries or harm, which may not warrant a claim. But if an injury, death, or harm occurs due to a doctor’s negligence, you can file a medical malpractice claim. The common medical malpractices are birth injuries, medical errors, misdiagnosis, or treatment failure.