You’ve been injured in an accident and you think your doctor made a mistake that harmed you. Do you have a case for medical malpractice?
Wondering whether you have grounds to sue a doctor for causing you to harm is understandable. Any time someone enters a medical facility, they expect the doctor to be knowledgeable. Doctors are expected to use proper medical procedures and treat medical conditions.
Sometimes, though, this isn’t the case and doctors misdiagnose a condition. In some instances, this results in irreparable damage or death.
If you think you’ve been mistreated, below we’ll explain what is medical malpractice.
Overview of Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is a legal cause of action that arises when a healthcare provider violates the standard of care in the treatment of a patient, resulting in injury or death. The standard of care is the level of care that a reasonably prudent healthcare provider would use in similar circumstances.
To prove medical malpractice, a plaintiff must show that the healthcare provider departed from the standard of care. This departure resulted in the plaintiffs’ injury or death.
You should contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer to discuss if you have a case. An attorney can help you understand your legal rights and options and can fight for the compensation you deserve.
The Types of Medical Malpractice
There are four main types of medical malpractice, these include misdiagnosis, surgery errors, medication errors, and childbirth injuries.
Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis occurs when a doctor incorrectly diagnoses a patient’s condition, which can lead to delayed or ineffective treatment. In some cases, misdiagnosis can even be life-threatening.
Surgery Errors
Surgery errors can happen when a surgeon makes a mistake during the procedure, such as cutting the wrong organ or leaving a foreign object inside the patient. This can have very serious consequences for the patient It can be extremely difficult to recover from.
Medical Errors
There are three main types of medical malpractice which include:
- errors in diagnosis
- errors in treatment
- errors in aftercare
Diagnostic errors occur when a healthcare provider fails to correctly identify a patient’s ailment. Treatment errors happen when a healthcare provider gives a patient the incorrect treatment for their ailment.
Aftercare errors occur when there is a failure to provide adequate follow-up care after treatment or surgery. These errors can lead to a worsening of the patient’s condition or the development of new and unrelated conditions.
Childbirth Injuries
Childbirth injury is when a baby is born with a birth injury, it can cause lifelong physical, mental, and emotional suffering for the child and the family. Some of the most common childbirth injuries include:
- cerebral palsy
- Erbs palsy
- shoulder dystocia
These injuries can occur due to negligence on the part of the medical team. It involves failure to monitor the mother and baby during labor. There could also be a failure to properly anticipate and manage complications, and a failure to provide timely and appropriate medical care.
Know Your Rights and Understand What Is Medical Malpractice
It is important to know your rights and understand what is medical malpractice. Medical malpractice can occur when a healthcare professional fails to provide the standard of care. This can result in injury or death.
If you have been harmed by medical malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can review your case and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Should you wish to explore more informative articles aside from these signs of medical malpractice, visit our blog section. You’ll find new and interesting posts!
