Visits to the doctor inherently require trust that you’ll receive competent, safe medical care. Even so, medical mistakes still happen at alarming rates. A medical malpractice claim may be appropriate if you or someone you love was harmed by substandard medical treatment. An example of medical malpractice is when a healthcare provider neglects to provide patient care, resulting in injury, harm, or death. Common types of medical malpractice,
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
The most common medical error is an inaccurate or late diagnosis. Spotting and properly diagnosing health issues promptly is critically important. Various factors like inadequate testing, human error in interpreting results, atypical symptoms misleading doctors, and communication breakdowns between providers lead to missed or delayed diagnoses. When the proper diagnosis occurs, the patient’s condition often significantly worsens.
Childbirth injuries
Childbirth medical errors leading to infant or mother injury remain highly prevalent.
- Negligent failure to recognize fetal distress
- Improper use of birth-assisting tools like forceps
- Failure to perform a necessary C-section
- Delayed delivery
Depending on the specifics, both the mother and baby (through parents) could pursue legal action if negligent treatment caused damage or injury.
Surgical mistakes
With millions of surgeries annually, risks of mistakes exist. Botched operations even something as small as operating on the wrong body part profoundly impact patients.
- Operating on the wrong site
- Leaving surgical equipment inside the patient
- Tearing organs or blood vessels
- Anesthesia errors
- Preventable infections
- Blood clots from immobility
If negligent behavior directly causes surgical injuries, a malpractice claim may be possible.
Medication errors
Incorrect medication or dosage given to a patient makes up a large portion of medical mistakes.
- Medication that is administered in the wrong quantity or type
- Overprescribing certain drugs
- Failing to spot risky interactions with a patient’s other medications
- Negligent patient monitoring after prescribing medications
- Ignoring patient medication allergies
If provider negligence with medications causes patient harm, hold them legally accountable.
Understanding your rights after malpractice
No amount of financial compensation restores someone’s pre-injury health and wholeness after medical negligence harms them or a loved one. However, holding the responsible providers legally accountable is an important way for patients to exercise their rights and send a message this behavior is unacceptable. If a provider’s negligence affected you, you have legal standing to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
- Compensation for all related medical bills, current and future
- Projected income lost due to inability to work
- Costs associated with lifestyle changes post-injury such as home healthcare or mobility assistance
- Pain and suffering damages
When a patient suffers from medical malpractice, a qualified medical malpractice lawyer is a fierce advocate fighting for the patient’s just compensation. They deal directly with aggressive defense teams, so the patient focuses on healing physically and emotionally. Victims shouldn’t stay silent because they dread combative legal action. The right Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer handles those tough aspects. The healthcare providers responsible should be held fully accountable for their mistakes to discourage similar oversights.
