When you go to a healthcare provider, you expect to receive appropriate medical treatment for your ailment or condition. However, doctors and other medical providers cause more harm than good in many unfortunate situations.
You may consider filing a medical malpractice lawsuit if you’ve suffered an injury or other harm after receiving medical treatment. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can assist you.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
Medical professionals must follow a strict standard of care, but when they don’t, it can seriously harm their patients.
When a healthcare provider or medical facility deviates from the standard of care, they could face legal consequences and be held liable for the victim’s injuries and losses. You may have a valid medical malpractice case if you suffer harm after receiving care from a medical professional.
Medical malpractice cases fall under personal injury law. When a person is harmed by another party’s wrongdoing, they can hold the responsible party accountable and pursue financial recovery.
Medical malpractice cases can help get you on the path to compensation after sustaining an injury and facing unforeseen expenses. A skilled medical malpractice attorney is best suited to provide valuable legal representation throughout your case.
The 5 Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
There are several types of incidents giving rise to medical malpractice lawsuits. Below are the five most common types of medical malpractice cases.
1. Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis involves a healthcare provider diagnosing a condition or illness as something different. It is a frequent occurrence for doctors to misdiagnose serious conditions that require a proper diagnosis. Some of the conditions most commonly misdiagnosed include:
- Different types of cancers
- Heart attacks
- Strokes
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Lyme Disease
- Brain hemorrhages
When a physician misdiagnoses a condition, you may receive the wrong type of medical treatment, and your real condition can go untreated. Failure to receive the appropriate treatment can worsen your condition and in some cases, even cause death.
2. Failure to Diagnose
Some conditions go undiagnosed altogether. When a doctor fails to diagnose an illness or condition, you won’t get the medical attention you need, causing you extensive harm in the long run.
Failure to diagnose is similar to misdiagnosis, as it often involves similar conditions and outcomes.
Failure to diagnose frequently occurs due to a doctor’s negligence, either because they did not take the appropriate steps to try to diagnose your condition or failed to tell you about it.
3. Surgical/Procedural Error
Whether surgery is necessary or elective, healthcare professionals must still take special care when performing the procedure. Some of the common types of surgical errors include the following:
- Performing surgery on the wrong body part
- Performing the wrong surgery
- Tools or other medical products left inside the patient during surgery
Surgical errors could put the patient’s health at risk and require subsequent procedures to correct the error.
4. Birth Injuries
Many complications can arise during pregnancy and childbirth. Obstetricians often fail to recognize and treat complications or properly monitor babies during labor. Newborns who suffer birth injuries are at risk of having lifelong complications or succumbing to their injuries.
Birth injuries often include spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, and shoulder dystocia.
5. Errors with Prescription Drugs
Errors with medications can have serious consequences, from severe reactions to death.
Common prescription drug errors include:
- Prescribing the wrong medication
- Prescribing the wrong dosage
- Failing to recognize potential dangerous drug interactions
Doctors could be liable for issues with prescription drugs, but pharmacists could also face liability.
Discuss Your Case with a Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you suffer harm after receiving treatment from a healthcare provider, you may be able to hold them accountable for their wrongdoing. A medical malpractice lawyer can give you valuable legal advice and determine the best course of action to pursue financial recovery.
To schedule a complimentary consultation, contact The Joel Bieber Firm today.
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