The concept of medical malpractice may make an interesting twist to a TV drama, but no one hopes to experience medical malpractice. Malpractice, also known as medical negligence, occurs when a medical expert provided inadequate medical care that directly resulted in the physical injury of a patient. Medical incompetence may be the result of inexperience or the careless mistake of a fatigued doctor. Incidents of malpractice can occur in a variety of medical settings and for a variety of reasons.
What Constitutes Medical Negligence?
For medical negligence or malpractice to be established, proof must be available that indicates the inept, inappropriate or negligent behavior of the medical expert that resulted in the harming of a patient. The behavior must fail to meet the expected standard of medical care, meaning another medical expert of similar education and experience would not have deemed the behavior appropriate for the medical circumstances.
Types of Medical Malpractice
Medical errors range in severity and commonality. Thus, some forms of negligence are more harmful and more prevalent than others. Common types of malpractice include:
- A diagnostic error, such as a delayed diagnosis, failure to diagnose or misdiagnosis: This is the leading cause of malpractice incidents. It can result in inadequate, inappropriate or unnecessary treatments and could put the patient at increased risk of developing a serious disorder if a condition is not diagnosed.
- Prenatal or childbirth-related injuries, such as cerebral palsy, broken bones or the failure to diagnose a condition in mother or baby: The failure to diagnose may occur during pregnancy or following birth. Not all pregnancy-related complications constitute medical negligence.
- Errors involving medications, including inaccurately prescribed medications or incorrect dosages: Medication errors are a common reason for malpractice due to the number of people involved with issuing a prescription medication and the ease with which a mistake may be made in writing down a dosage.
- Surgical errors, such as surgical short-cuts or performing the wrong procedure: Surgeons are often suffering from fatigue and yet they still perform surgeries. It is not uncommon for surgical tools to be left inside a patient or for miscommunication to result in negligence, such as operating on the wrong patient or causing accidental injury.
- Anesthesia errors that lead to serious impairment or death: If a patient is given anesthesia that the patient’s medical history contraindicates due to an allergy or if the anesthesiologist administers too much medication, catastrophic results could occur.
Taking Legal Action
Medical malpractice is not a one-size-fits-all problem. Each patient deals with individual aspects that makes each case distinct. Due to the complex nature of malpractice issues, the patient will want to obtain the legal services of qualified attorneys who are well-versed in personal injury law. If a malpractice case seems to be developing, contact Carey, Danis & Lowe immediately for a consultation. Carey, Danis & Lowe possess the experience and drive needed to protect a patient’s rights in a medical negligence case. They can make the process easier with their expertise and experience. Call today to have Carey, Danis & Lowe help fight medical negligence or fill out a contact form. They are on the patient’s side and will fight for you.