Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor or another health care professional causes injuries to patients due to errors or negligence. Mistakes in treatment, health management or diagnosis can cause these negligent actions.
Those affected by these errors may seek compensation and file a lawsuit. This blog outlines the common forms of malpractice to help you determine if you can initiate your own case.
Common types of medical malpractice
Misdiagnosis or errors in the diagnostic process may be a cause of a medical negligence lawsuit. Mistakes in interpreting lab results and failure to request appropriate examinations can also harm patient health.
Surgical errors can also be considered malpractice. Performing surgery on the wrong area and leaving small surgical instruments in the body are common operation errors. Prescribing nonessential surgery is harmful because it exposes patients to unnecessary risks.
You can also file lawsuits against health care professionals who prescribe or dispense the wrong dosage of medications. Recommending improper administration instructions may also be grounds for legal action.
Other forms of negligence include failing to note patient symptoms. Premature hospital discharge and poor aftercare may also be reasons to file a lawsuit.
Proving medical negligence claims
You may be eligible for compensation if you or a loved one sustained a serious injury due to improper treatment by a health care practitioner.
However, this process requires you to prove that the physician or pharmacist violated the standard of care. You also need to prove that your injury was a direct result of their careless actions and that you suffered significant damages as a result. These three elements are necessary to prove your claim.
