Common Examples Of Medical Negligence (Malpractice)

Here are three of the most common reasons why people seek legal assistance for injuries that were the result of medical negligence.

When you visit medical professionals for a health concern, you do so with the expectation of being cared for.

Although the majority of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals have the best intentions of providing their patients with quality care, they are human and mistakes can still happen.

Unfortunately, in some situations, these mistakes may result in life-altering consequences for the patient.

If patients aren’t properly treated, the medical professional may be held liable for the injuries.

Medical negligence or malpractice is a subcategory of common under personal injury law that is designed to protect you from future harm and compensation for the harm that was caused.

Medical malpractice lawyers are experienced in helping those who have experienced medical negligence.

What Determines A Medical Malpractice Claim?

There are a few characteristics that must be met in order for a claim to be considered under the law as a medical malpractice claim, including:

1. The injury was caused by negligence (would not have occurred in the absence of negligence).
2. There was a violation of standard care, which means the medical professional had a responsibility to the patient that they failed to uphold.
3. The injuries resulted in significant damages.

Common Examples Of Medical Negligence

There are many reasons why people seek the assistance of medical malpractice lawyers for injuries that were the result of medical negligence. The most common examples include:

1. Childbirth Injuries

One of the most devastating types of medical malpractice cases for any family is childbirth injuries.

Some of the injuries that result from negligence during childbirth may be minor and only require treatment, but others may have a more severe impact, such as spinal cord injuries, fetal distress, and postpartum hemorrhage.

Some common problems that are associated with medical negligence may include:

• Improper use of forceps during birth;
• Oxygen deprivation to the infant;
• Hemorrhage of the mother during pregnancy or labor;
• And surgical errors during a caesarian section.

2. Anesthesia Errors

Surgery is an overwhelming and scary experience for most people. Unfortunately, dangerous mistakes may happen before the surgery even begins.

Anesthesia can be extremely dangerous if it isn’t administered properly. If the anesthesiologist doesn’t pay attention to your medical history or gives too much anesthesia, the result may be life-threatening.

Medical malpractice as a result of anesthesia negligence may happen during sedation for dental procedures, outpatient operations, and in pre-op and recovery rooms.

3. Surgical Errors

When going into surgery, you expect the surgeon to be an experienced and capable medical professional.

Just the thought of a surgeon making a fatal error while you have a surgical procedure can be terrifying.

Unfortunately, surgical errors may occur as the result of several different complications, such as:

• Leaving a foreign object such as a surgical sponge inside of the body;
• Wrong surgery site;
• Using nonsterile surgical instruments;
• Failure to control bleeding;
• Damaging tissues, organs, or nerves during surgery;
• Or improper care before or after surgery.

These types of errors most often happen when the surgeon, nurse, or other medical professionals incorrectly read the patient’s chart, clear a patient for the wrong surgery, or neglect to review the medical instructions.

These mistakes may lead to infection, lifelong damages, or even death.

Fighting Medical Negligence

Medical malpractice cases may be time-consuming and expensive, especially without the assistance of experienced medical malpractice lawyers.

If you or someone in your family has been injured as a result of medical negligence, your family deserves to be treated with respect and receive the appropriate compensation for the injuries.

So you should contact an attorney as soon as possible after the injuries occur if you suspect medical malpractice.