Common Reasons For Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

As a patient, people put a lot of trust in the medical professionals treating them. In some cases, this trust can be betrayed if a doctor makes a mistake in the diagnosis or treatment of an ailment. Unfortunately, it is common for medical professionals to make mistakes and some of them can lead to catastrophic injuries and even death. 

In some states like Florida, there is a well-defined medical standard of care that must be adhered to. This is based on what a reasonable and well-trained professional would have done under a similar set of circumstances. A medical malpractice claim has to prove that a medical professional deviated from this standard of care. Proving this will require both concrete evidence and the help of a legal professional.

Are you curious about medical malpractice lawsuits and the reasons why they typically occur? If so, check out the useful information below.

A Medical Misdiagnosis

More than 250,000 people die in the United States every year as a result of medical malpractice, according to a 2016 study by Johns Hopkins. A number of these people fell ill after a delayed or misdiagnosis. In most cases, a misdiagnosis occurs when a doctor ignores or neglects to notice warning signs of a disease or condition and treats the patient for something completely different. Generally, this misdiagnosis is uncovered when the patient seeks out a second opinion from another doctor.

There are times when a delayed diagnosis can jeopardize a person’s health and can lead to death. If a person was initially treated for the wrong ailment and then their doctor realizes their mistake and starts the right treatment, it is referred to as a delayed diagnosis. If you feel like you have been the victim of a delayed or misdiagnosis, it is time to reach out to a legal professional. With their assistance, you can file a lawsuit and start the process of putting your life back together.

Medication Errors

Over the past century, medicine has come a long way. There are now medications available to help people living with a variety of serious health problems that would have been a death sentence previously. However, there are still many medical malpractice lawsuits each year involving medication errors. If a doctor prescribes a patient the wrong medication, it can do irreversible damage to their bodies. Many medical malpractice lawsuits also involve a patient receiving the right medicine, but the wrong dosage.

These medication errors can happen at both the pharmacy and physician levels. Instead of feeling like you have no course of action after experiencing the fallout from a medication error, you need to explore all of your legal options. Consulting with a lawyer is a great way to figure out whether you have a case worth pursuing. If a lawyer feels like you have a winning medical malpractice case, they can start the process of filing a lawsuit.

Surgical and Anesthesia Errors

Millions of Americans have medical surgeries each year. Going under the knife for one of these procedures can be extremely stressful. If errors take place during surgery, the effects can be quite severe. While most surgical errors are considered to be non life-threatening, they can still harm a person’s body and make it difficult for them to function, depending on the procedure.

Anesthesia errors can also occur during routine surgery. If a person is given a sedative that is too strong, it can harm them. There are also a number of cases that involve a person having severe reactions to the anesthetics they are given. If you or a loved one has experienced an error during or after a recent surgery, it might be time to think about filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.

By working with a medical malpractice lawyer, you can build a winning case and get the compensation you deserve.