Medical negligence and associated injuries oftentimes are the stuff of movies and television shows. The reality is that each and every day people from all walks of life are injured because of malpractice of different types perpetrated by healthcare providers, including physicians, surgeons, and pharmacists. Many individuals have suffered untold amounts of pain, suffering, and financial strain as a result of negligence, errors, or omissions on the part of medical providers. Medical malpractice can vary in type and severity. There are some types of medical negligence that more frequently occur. These include five of the more commonly occurring types of medical malpractice in the United States today:
- Misdiagnosis
- Prescription drug mistakes
- Surgical errors
- Birth injuries
- Delay in diagnosis or treatment
Misdiagnosis
One of the more common forms of medical malpractice is misdiagnosis. This occurs when a doctor fails to properly diagnose a patient's condition or illness, leading to improper treatment or no treatment at all. A missed diagnosis can be caused by failing to perform appropriate tests or not paying attention to certain symptoms. In some cases, it may also be due to an incorrect interpretation of test results or diagnostic procedures that were performed incorrectly.
Prescription Drug Mistakes
Medication errors account for a significant portion of medical malpractice cases in the United States each year. These errors may occur in a number of different ways that include:
- Poor communication between patients and healthcare providers
- Incomplete or misleading information given by physicians
- Incorrect doses prescribed
- Incorrect medications prescribed
- Improper administration method
- Failure to monitor patient response appropriately
- Inadequate patient education about possible side effects
- Improper warning provided in regard to particular drugs
Surgical Errors
Surgery is inherently risky and can easily lead to complications if proper care is not taken during the procedure itself and post-operatively thereafter. Common surgical errors include:
- Performing unnecessary surgeries
- Leaving instruments inside the body cavity after closure
- Operating on wrong site (wrong body part)
- Performing surgery while under the influence drugs or alcohol
- Making mistakes during anesthesia administration
- Causing excessive bleeding due to careless suturing techniques
- Failing to detect infections prior to surgery
- Causing nerve damage
Birth Injuries
Birth injuries are incredibly traumatic for both mother and child alike. They can cause serious long-term consequences such as cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy (arm paralysis), or brachial plexus injury (shoulder dystocia). Common causes of birth injury related to medical malpractice include excessive force used during delivery resulting in limb fractures or internal organ damage. This can include brain trauma from too much pressure on baby’s head during natural childbirth process or forceps assisted delivery procedures done incorrectly.
Delay in Diagnosis or Treatment
Delays in diagnosis or treatment can have devastating consequences for patients. Delays oftentimes take the form of a physician failing to make a diagnosis of an existing medical condition in a timely manner. For example, a doctor attributes symptoms of what ultimately proves to be a serious disease or medical condition to a minor matter.
Medical Malpractice Legal Rights
If you believe that you are the victim of medical malpractice, it is crucial that you are as proactive as possible in regard to protecting your vital legal rights. The first step in that process is scheduling an initial consultation with an experienced medical malpractice attorney, like a member of the legal team at The Doan Law Firm.
You can schedule an initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm medical malpractice lawyer by calling us any time of the day or night at (800) 349-0000. Our medical malpractice lawyer phone line is staffed 365 days a year, including all major holidays.
As a nationwide law firm, we can schedule an initial consultation with a medical malpractice lawyer at any one of our 40 offices located across the United States. We can also arrange a virtual case evaluation for you online. There is never a charge for an initial consultation.
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