What Are Some Common Types of Medical Malpractice?
When people who seek medical treatment for injuries or illness, they have a right to expect that the treatment they receive will improve their condition rather than make it worse by way of medical malpractice. Unfortunately, in some cases, this does not occur. In some cases, there may simply be no effective treatment for a certain medical condition; in others, physicians or other medical professionals may make professional judgments that, while reasonable and well-intentioned, were simply wrong. Sometimes, however, medical professionals may fail to meet the required standard of care and injure a patient as a result. In these cases, victims are often legally entitled to significant financial compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Under Florida law[1], medical malpractice is a type of professional negligence that involves medical professional providing treatment that falls below the accepted standard of care and results in an injury to a patient. Medical malpractice can involve doctors, physicians, surgeons, hospital staff, or others who are involved in the provision of medical care. Because medical professionals and their insurers understand that they are operating in a high-risk field that may expose them to significant liability, they are often ready to vigorously defend against claims of medical malpractice. As a result, individuals who suspect that they have been injured by the negligence of a medical professional should be sure to retain legal counsel as soon as possible.
There are many ways that medical malpractice can occur. Some of the more common are detailed below.
Failure to diagnose
One of the more common ways that medical malpractice occurs is when a physician fails to diagnose a condition that he or she should have recognized based upon a patient's symptoms or other conditions. In many cases, the delay that results because of a failure to diagnose results in significantly worse outcomes for patients.
Surgical injuries
Surgical injuries are often extremely serious and can result in extremely serious complications for patients. They can include things like operating on the wrong body part, leaving surgical instruments inside of a patient, performing the wrong procedure, or operating in non-sterile conditions and causing a serious infection.
Prescription drug errors
According to the Food and Drug Administration[2] (FDA), the agency has received 30,000 reports of medication errors since 1992, although the actual number of errors is thought to be much higher. Prescription drug errors can involve a medical professional prescribing or administering the wrong medication, the wrong dosage, failing to ask about allergies, or failing to check whether a patient is taking other medications that may cause an adverse reaction.
Birth injuries
Birth injuries affect thousands of newborns and mothers each year and can result in serious and long-term complications. Among the kinds of conditions that can occur after a birth injury due to medical malpractice include cerebral palsy[3], Erb's palsy, brain damage, brachial plexus injuries, Klumpke's palsy, shoulder dystocia, broken bones, skull fractures, lacerations, and other injuries. In many cases, these injuries may affect the victims for the rest of his or her life and result in diminished opportunities throughout life. Consequently, anyone who has been affected by a birth injury should discuss his or her options with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible.
Contact a Clearwater, Florida medical malpractice attorney today to schedule a free consultation
Individuals who have been injured by the negligence of a medical professional are often entitled to significant financial compensation. In many cases, the complications associated with medical malpractice can be extremely serious, so it essential that victims ensure that their legal rights are protected by retaining an attorney who has a track record of success litigating medical malpractice claims. The lawyers of the Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA are skilled Clearwater medical malpractice attorneys who understand how to get our clients the compensation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation with our lawyers, call our office today at (727) 451-6900.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33756
727-451-6900
References:
[1] https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0766/Sections/0766.203.html
[2] https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm143553.htm
[3] https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_palsy/cerebral_palsy.htm