The 3 Most Common Reasons to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
We place our trust in medical professionals when we’re sick or unwell but, sadly, medical malpractice isn’t as uncommon as we’d like to think. In fact, the Civil Justice Resource Group estimates that at least 1% of hospital patients experience some form of malpractice. To learn more, take a look at these three common reasons to file a medical malpractice lawsuit:
1. Misdiagnosis or Delayed Treatment
When you consult a physician, you rely on them to use their knowledge and experience to assess your symptoms and arrange the right diagnostic tests. If a doctor fails to do this, however, it can result in you being misdiagnosed. As a result, you may not receive the treatment you need, or you could even be prescribed unnecessary medications or medical procedures.
Misdiagnosis or delayed treatment can have a range of effects, which is why it’s important that medical professionals are held to account. With specialist advice from personal injury lawyers like Romanucci Blandin, you can find out if a misdiagnosis or delayed treatment qualifies you to take legal action and, if so, how to get your claim started.
2. Birth Injuries
Both mothers and babies require adequate care throughout pregnancy and birth, yet too many patients fall victim to birth-related injuries. If physicians fail to identify a high-risk pregnancy or don’t intervene when assistance is required during a birth, for example, unnecessary injuries can occur. In some instances, this can result in babies developing lifelong disabilities due to a lack of oxygen during delivery or physical injuries caused by a prolonged birth.
With such serious consequences associated with birth injuries, it’s vital that optimal care is delivered to every patient. When this doesn’t happen, however, personal injury attorneys can help to ensure that the people responsible are held accountable.
3. Surgical Errors
Millions of surgeries take place each and every day and the vast majority of operations are performed successfully. Despite this, some patients are affected by errors that occur in the operating theater. This can include the wrong incision site being used, medical equipment being left inside a patient or even the wrong operation being carried out.
As you might expect, a surgical error can have a long-term impact on the patient and their loved ones. An individual may need to undergo a second operation if the first surgery was performed inaccurately, for example. Alternatively, they may sustain irreversible scars or health consequences as a result of surgery being performed inaccurately. If you suspect that you or a loved one has been affected by a surgical error, it is important to contact medical malpractice lawyers as soon as possible to discuss your case.
Should You Make a Medical Malpractice Claim?
Dealing with the impact of medical negligence or malpractice can be emotionally and physically exhausting and the thought of taking legal action may seem like too much to deal with. However, making a compensation claim can ensure that you don’t suffer financially because of a physician’s error. Furthermore, successful legal action can highlight repeated incidents of malpractice and encourage healthcare companies to introduce new safety procedures to protect patients and prevent other people from being harmed in the same way.