Most medical professionals strive to do the best work they can every day. However, not even medical professionals are free from scrutiny.
Patients rely on doctors and other medical professionals to treat mild to severe conditions. Although cases of medical malpractice aren’t the most common, they do happen.
What could lead someone to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against a doctor or other medical professional?
Continue reading to find out more about when you can and should sue for medical malpractice.
Medication Errors
Medication errors can occur in several different ways. To start, your doctor may prescribe the wrong medication for your condition. This can cause serious harm to a patient.
Sometimes a certain medication will be given to the wrong patient in a hospital.
More often, though, there will be an error in dosage. The doctor may mistakenly write the wrong dosage on the prescription. This may then lead the nurse to administer the wrong dosage.
Sometimes a piece of medical equipment will malfunction and cause the patient to intake a larger dose of medication.
Incorrect Diagnosis
If the doctor fails to diagnose a condition, this could lead to serious long-term consequences. The doctor may leave a serious condition untreated, causing the patient to miss a vital treatment window.
These cases account for the largest portion of medical malpractice lawsuits. Some cases even result in death.
Cases of misdiagnosis can be difficult to prove. A misdiagnosis can happen to even the most experienced and skilled doctors.
Usually, the doctor’s competence will be compared to a similar medical professional.
Childbirth Injuries
Childbirth is one of the greatest experiences any of us can ever witness. The birth of a child, though, can sometimes be complex and difficult.
Doctors need to take great care when delivering a newborn child into this world.
If a doctor fails to recognize and address potential complications before birth, they may be responsible for any harm caused to the mother or child.
However, not all complications at birth are the result of medical malpractice. Some injuries may be unavoidable.
Anesthesia Errors
Anesthesia errors are serious and can be potentially fatal. A competent anesthesiologist needs to be extremely careful when examining a patient’s medical history. They need to inform patients of specific risks and complications.
Common anesthesia errors include the following:
- failure to monitor a patient’s vital signs
- an improper dosage of anesthesia
- failure to intubate a patient correctly
- using broken or defective equipment
These common errors could potentially lead to brain damage, other permanent injuries, or death.
Do You Have a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?
Not every misdiagnosis or error will result in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Doctors are humans too, and mistakes happen. However, negligence can lead to serious complication.
In cases of negligence, a doctor may be responsible for any harm to a patient. Do you think you have a case of medical malpractice on your hands? You need a competent personal injury lawyer to get the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
