Medical malpractice cases are often complicated and difficult to navigate, requiting the services of a skilled and experienced lawyer. And with so many different types of medicine being practiced by countless doctors, the possibility of a mistake being made is always present.
Understanding common varieties of malpractice can help you know when you need to get a medical malpractice attorney. Here are some of the common types of medical negligence that takes place:
Misdiagnosis or Delay in Diagnosis
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is among the most common ways of committing medical malpractice. It is when a doctor makes an error in diagnosing a condition or a patient’s condition is not diagnosed in an adequate timeline.
The effects can be dire as a patient could be treated for a condition that is no longer present or possibly be too late to treat the condition that may save their life. For example, if cancer is diagnosed too late, the disease may already be in its advanced stages, putting the patient’s survival prognosis at risk.
Various Surgical Errors
Every surgical procedure carries a risk of malpractice and the list of possible surgical errors is lengthy. These errors can be performing an operation on the wrong body part, either leaving behind or forgetting the surgical instruments inside the patient’s body, or inadvertently injuring organs.
Some surgical mistakes can lead to permanent altered states such as chronic pain or in the worst cases, death. Even with highly trained surgical teams, these mistakes can happen due to negligence, fatigue, or lack of proper protocols. In circumstances where there is a surgical error it is wise to consult a medical malpractice attorney about a claim.
Incorrect Medication Errors
Medication errors are rather common and in some cases can amount to malpractice. Such errors can occur at the hospital, the pharmacy and even during outpatient appointments. These errors could include ordering the wrong medicine, prescribing the wrong amount and neglecting the contraindications involving certain drugs.
Various Birth Injuries
These are injuries that can impact mothers and newborns due to negligence or dereliction of duty during the birth. Such injuries may occur from a failure to notice fetal distress, unskilled application of delivery instruments like a forceps, or a delay in carrying out a C-section.
Birth injuries can result into conditions like cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy or brain injury which are chronic. It is vital that if a birth injury occurred as a result of negligent treatment by the healthcare professional, you should contact a lawyer about pursuing any legal avenues you may have.
When to Seek Legal Help from a Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you or your close relatives sustain injuries that you suspect were contributed to by the healthcare provider, you should consider seeking legal assistance and do so without delay. There are many intricacies that surround medical malpractice that need an in-depth understanding of the law and medicine.
This is where the services of a knowledgeable lawyer is invaluable. They will assess how strong your case is and educate you on the necessary steps to take, ensuring that you get the recompense you are entitled to. Legal proceedings can assist in offsetting medical costs, emotional trauma, loss of income, and other consequences caused by negligence.
