If you suffered an injury or illness because of a doctor’s negligence, you may have a medical malpractice claim against him or her. When it comes to malpractice, there are several types of errors that may qualify you for a legal claim, as a medical malpractice lawyer, can explain. While there are many possible errors, there are a few common types of malpractice to be aware of.
Delayed Diagnosis
Delayed diagnosis is one of the more common medical malpractice claims. When it comes to delayed diagnosis, keep in mind that just because a doctor did not diagnose a patient quickly or just because a doctor misdiagnosed does not necessarily mean he or she committed medical malpractice. Errors can happen in medicine.
A doctor has to act negligently for it to count as medical malpractice. This means that a reasonable doctor and one with the same standards would have diagnosed the patient easily. The doctor may not have run critical tests or may have shrugged off the patient. This is considered medical malpractice.
Surgical Errors
Before a surgical procedure, the patient must be aware of all risks associated with the surgery. Patients are given a document to read over and sign, giving his or her informed consent. While errors can happen during surgery, preventable errors constitute medical malpractice. For instance, if the surgeons do not sterilize their instruments, this is clear negligence and if a patient suffers an infection or any other illness due to the negligence, it is a case for medical malpractice. In rare cases, a surgeon may leave tools inside of a person’s surgical site or may operate on the wrong area.
Anesthesia Errors
When it comes to medical malpractice, anesthesia errors are among the most common. Medical malpractice premiums are higher for anesthesiologists than they are for most people in the medical field.
One error in judgment from an anesthesiologist can result in severe consequences and even death. In addition, the anesthesiologist has to remain careful throughout the entire treatment because an error can happen at any moment. From the beginning, if the anesthesiologist is not thorough in gathering the patient’s history and allergies, the patient could have a serious reaction to the anesthetic. Any deviation from the standard could result in brain injuries.
If you think that you have a medical malpractice claim, you may be entitled to compensation. Set up an appointment and discuss your claim with a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible.
