5 Extremely Common Types of Medical Malpractice Claims

Medical malpractice claims, while sometimes rare, are incredibly serious. It’s incredibly devastating to be injured by a professional that’s meant to protect and treat you, after all. When a person falls victim to medical malpractice, they can sue to seek the restitution they deserve. There are five extremely common types of medical malpractice claims that are filed every single year:

1. Childbirth Injuries

 

Childbirth is a delicate process, and the medical professionals who help to deliver babies use the utmost caution to ensure the baby and delivering parent are kept safe during the process. However, there are times when improper use of birth tools or gross negligence causes either the parent or child to be severely injured. When this occurs, it’s critical that the affected family seek a medical malpractice lawsuit. Doing so can ensure they get the compensation needed to heal, and ensures that they receive justice.

2. Failure to Treat Injuries

 

It’s a doctor’s duty to treat any injuries or afflictions a patient has. After all, this is a major part of the Hippocratic oath. When a medical professional fails to treat a patient by releasing them from their facilities too soon, or when they fail to provide proper follow-up care and treatment instructions, they can be accused of medical malpractice. Failure to test patients for potential diseases or afflictions can get medical professionals into trouble as well. Additionally, if a doctor does not properly analyze and consider a patient’s past medical history, they could wind up in trouble. Medical malpractice is no joke, and anyone who falls victim to it deserves to have their voice heard. Otherwise, the medical industry could become too lax in how it treats patients.

3. Prescription Drug Error Injuries

 

Although rarer than many other types of medical malpractice, prescription drug errors can lead to serious side effects and even death in rare cases. When a medical professional prescribes the wrong medicine for a patient’s treatment, they are putting the patient at serious risk. Especially so if the patient is suffering from an illness or injury that requires aggressive medication to cure. If a doctor does not properly analyze the current prescription drugs a patient is on, and prescribes them something that can cause serious interactions with their current drugs, the doctor can be sued for medical malpractice as well. Because this type of medical malpractice deals with prescription drugs, pharmacists can be held accountable if they fail to realize the hazards a medication poses to a patient.

4. Surgical and Procedural Injuries

 

Surgery is a tough, complicated task. That being said, surgeons and their assistants go through immense amounts of training to ensure they can keep patients as safe as possible during any surgical procedures. If a surgeon makes a mistake due to negligence, they can be sued for medical malpractice. If a surgeon is performing surgery while intoxicated, or while affected in a way that prevents them from being at the top of their game, they can find themselves in trouble with the law as well. Negative, and sometimes deadly, reactions to anesthesia are some of the most common medical malpractice claims related to surgical and procedural injuries. However, there are many different ways that a surgery can go wrong if any medical professional involved is acting negligently.

5. Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis Injuries

 

Nearly one-third of medical malpractice claims are related to delayed or misdiagnosed diagnoses. When a doctor negligently fails to diagnose their patients, they are removing valuable, essential time that the patient needs for treatment. Due to this, you can sue a doctor for medical malpractice if they knowingly misdiagnosed you, or misdiagnosed you due to negligent practice. When a doctor fails to refer patients to specialists, or fails to see obvious signs of a serious disease, medical malpractice enters into the picture. Additionally, if doctors fail to diagnose a serious disease or affliction in a reasonable time manner, they will be under suspicion of having committed medical malpractice. Lost test results, mislabeled test results, and errors that are preventable fall into this category as well.

Your Doctor Must Protect You

 

Due to the Hippocratic oath, your doctor is legally and ethically obliged to give you proper, serious care. When they fail to do so, and you’re injured as a result, you deserve restitution. Never assume that you cannot win a case, and seek out an experienced medical malpractice attorney who can help you win your suit against the medical professionals who harmed you.

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