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Medical malpractice is a serious issue, and one that can result in significant harm to patients. Every year, medical malpractice lawsuits are filed against doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers.
A study done in 2016 showed that there are over 250,000 deaths due to medical malpractice every year. If you or a loved one is the victim of medical malpractice, what legal options are available to you? This article will discuss seven common kinds of medical malpractice lawsuits and what actions you can take if it happens to you.
Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis is the number one type of medical malpractice lawsuit. This is when a doctor fails to correctly diagnose a patient’s condition or fails to recognize the signs and symptoms of a condition. This can lead to the wrong treatment or delayed treatment, which can have serious consequences for the patient. Misdiagnosis can lead to serious harm, or even death.
For example, imagine that a patient goes to the hospital because of chest pains and a doctor decides it’s indigestion after taking an EKG and running some tests. Then that person passes away two days later from a heart attack. In this case, the doctor misdiagnosed the patient’s condition and they died as a direct result.
Surgical Errors
Surgical errors are another of the most common types of medical malpractice lawsuits. Surgical errors happen during procedures, like operating on the incorrect body part or leaving items in a patient’s body after surgery.For example, imagine that a patient undergoes surgery to remove a tumor from their stomach, but the surgeon accidentally removes part of their intestine instead. This would be a surgical error and could warrant a lawsuit.
Failure to Treat
Patients can file a medical malpractice lawsuit if they believe that their doctor failed to treat them properly. This can look like:
- Discharging a patient from the hospital too soon
- Failing to obtain necessary medical testing
- Failing to give follow-up care instructions
- When giving medication or therapy, failing to consider a patient’s medical history
For example, imagine that a patient goes to the hospital with a broken ankle and the doctor sets it and puts a cast on it. The doctor sends the patient home without giving them instructions on how to care for their ankle at home, and the patient accidentally worsens their injury. This is a failure on the doctor’s part to treat them properly.
Birth Injuries
Birth injuries happen when a baby is not treated well during the birthing process. These kinds of injuries can include:
- The improper use of forceps, or the excessive application of force removing a newborn from the birth canal
- The umbilical cord wrapped around the infant’s mouth, nose, or neck
- Failure to detect fetal distress
- Failure to deliver a baby by C-section when it is required
- During or after childbirth, dropping, shaking, or mishandling a baby
For example, imagine that a baby is born with a serious birth injury because the doctor did not order an emergency C-section when they should have. This counts as a birth injury and could merit a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Prescription Drug Errors
Prescription drug errors are when a doctor prescribes the wrong drug or dosages to their patient. Medication errors can happen when healthcare professionals prescribe the wrong drug, don’t check for interactions with other drugs a patient is taking, or give a patient the wrong dosage.
For example, imagine that a patient is prescribed an antibiotic for a sinus infection, but they are allergic to the antibiotic. The doctor didn’t check for any allergies and gave the patient the wrong drug. This would be a prescription drug error.
Delayed Diagnosis
Delayed diagnosis occurs when a healthcare provider fails to promptly and accurately diagnose a patient’s condition, leading to delayed or improper treatment. This type of medical malpractice case can have severe consequences, as it may allow a medical condition to worsen unnecessarily. Common examples include:
Missed Cancer Diagnosis
Failing to detect signs of cancer during routine screenings or misinterpreting test results, leading to a delayed cancer diagnosis and reduced treatment options.
Delayed Treatment of Infections
Not identifying or treating infections promptly, which can result in the spread of the infection, organ damage, or systemic illness.
Undiagnosed Chronic Conditions
Neglecting to diagnose chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, or autoimmune disorders, resulting in delayed medical treatment and increased health risks.
These medical errors can significantly impact a patient’s prognosis and quality of life. Patients who experience delayed diagnosis may be eligible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit to seek compensation for damages incurred due to the delayed diagnosis and subsequent harm.
If you or a loved one has experienced a delayed diagnosis leading to medical complications, it’s crucial to consult with experienced medical malpractice lawyers to understand your legal options and pursue justice.
Anesthesia
Anesthesia-related errors are another significant category of medical negligence. Anesthesia is a crucial part of many medical procedures, and errors in administering anesthesia can have serious consequences for patients. Common anesthesia-related malpractice issues include:
Dosage Errors
Administering too much or too little anesthesia can lead to complications such as anesthesia awareness (being awake during surgery), inadequate pain control, or overdosing.
Failure to Monitor
Inadequate monitoring of vital signs during anesthesia can result in undetected complications such as respiratory distress, hypoxia, or cardiac issues.
Delayed Emergence
When medical professionals fail to manage the emergence from anesthesia properly a patient can be under prolonged sedation, suffer from confusion, or other post-operative complications.
Anesthesia errors can have devastating effects on patients, including brain damage, organ failure, or even death. Patients who experience anesthesia-related malpractice may pursue medical malpractice cases to seek compensation for damages and hold the medical professional accountable.
File A Medical Malpractice Claim
If you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, it is important to seek legal help right away. Napoli Shkolnik’s medical malpractice lawyers are experienced in representing medical malpractice victims in these common kinds of medical malpractice lawsuits and more. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule your free case consultation!