Consult with a Personal Injury Attorney If You Suspect the Possibility of Medical Malpractice

Generally, one connotes a visit to a medical professional with the road to recovery. We want to believe that consulting with such experts and being treated by them sets us on a course to regain good health. There are times, however, when medical intervention fails miserably. When this happens, the consequences can devastate one’s life.

Medical malpractice happens when a doctor or nurse fails to provide the appropriate medical treatment to a patient, who is consequently harmed. It may involve a professional’s deviation from a recognized standard of care during the course of the treatment. In some cases, such deviations can lead to death, and this fatal trend is actually more common than you think.

Medical Malpractice Ranks Third Among Causes of U.S. Deaths

It might surprise you, but medical malpractice ranks third among the leading causes of death in the United States, according to researchers from John Hopkins University. Malpractice accounts for an estimated 251,454 deaths throughout the county each year. This means that 10 percent of all the deaths in the US are now caused by some form of medical error. In cases like this, the patient’s family is left to grapple with their loved one’s unexpected death, and some of them may be driven to seek justice.

Meanwhile, patients who survive a medical malpractice by their doctor can choose to file a complaint in regard to how they were treated. To establish a legal case, proof of negligence must be presented. A patient essentially needs to prove that the doctor lacked reasonable competence or skill during the treatment of the patient and that such void or voids directly caused harm to the patient.

Because of the many reasons for seeking medical treatment, medical malpractice lawyers tend to deal with a wide array of case types. Given such, following are some of most common grounds for medical malpractice trials today. Consider these scenarios when deciding on whether to retain a lawyer with expertise in these cases.

Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis

In the case of a misdiagnosis, a doctor ends up misdiagnosing a condition or fails to diagnose a serious condition for a significant length of time. Consequently, the patient may have missed treatment opportunities that could have prevented any serious harm or perhaps death. Generally, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is proven by comparing the methods engaged by the doctor in question with what a competent doctor with the same medical specialty would have engaged. If a reasonably competent and skillful doctor would not have made the same diagnostic error, the suspected doctor is held liable for malpractice.

Medication Errors

A study completed in 2006 found that medication errors harmed about 1.5 million people across the country annually. A medication error can occur several ways. In some cases, the practicing doctor ends up prescribing the wrong medication or dosage. Alternatively, said doctor might have prescribed medication to treat a misdiagnosed condition. On the other hand, it is possible that the hospital administered the wrong medication to the patient.

Anesthesia Errors

In this case, an anesthesiologist may have committed medical practice if he or she failed to investigate the patient’s medical history for possible complications prior to delivering the anesthesia. On the other hand, the anesthesiologist may have failed to inform the patient of possible risks should preoperative instructions not be followed. Yet another possibility: During surgery, the anesthesiologist administered too much anesthesia to the patient, failed to monitor the patient’s vital signs, failed to intubate the patient properly, or used defective equipment.

There’s no denying that medical malpractice presents a terrifying reality confronting Americans each and every day. If you or anyone you care about suspects that a medical malpractice occurred, it’s important to consult with a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible so that you start establishing a strong case, especially if your complaint reaches all the way to trial.

Highly regard the importance of seeking justice if you believe you have been medically wronged. By taking legal action, you are not just defending your right to be treated better, you are also helping stop a negligent doctor from harming other patients.

For more information contact one of our highly qualified Attorneys in the Oklahoma City area call (405) 253-4478 or our main office in Ardmore (580) 798-0447.

Sources:

Medical malpractice: What does it involve?, medicalnewstoday.com
10 Things You Want To Know About Medical Malpractice, forbes.com
Medical Malpractice: Common Errors by Doctors and Hospitals, nolo.com