195,000 patients die in hospitals in the USA every year due to preventable mistakes.
Medical malpractice is a common cause of death in the US, just behind cancer and heart disease. This is a terrifying statistic.
If you would like to understand more about medical malpractice, read our short guide. We look at the most common medical malpractice lawsuit cases taking place today.
- Misdiagnosis
The most common type of malpractice is that of misdiagnosis. This is when a medical professional incorrectly diagnoses a condition. It can also be when they do not recognize that there is a problem.
Failure to diagnose can have devastating consequences in the case of serious diseases. Misdiagnosis of injuries can lead to a loss of mobility or even use of a limb.
- Surgical Error
Errors taking place in the operating theatre are another common malpractice issue. These can range from the wrong patient being operated on or an incorrect operation on the wrong body part.
After-care is also an essential part of surgery and, if undertaken poorly, can result in infection or even serious illness.
- Birth Injuries
Many types of medical errors can happen during childbirth if a medical professional takes undue care. The results can be devasting and end in a need for lifelong care for mother and baby.
If a newborn experiences a lack of oxygen during birth, it can result in cerebral palsy. Additionally, failure to provide a timely C-section can also result in serious injury to both the mother and child.
- Failure to Treat
When a doctor has an understanding of the correct diagnosis but does not provide the right treatment, this is known as failure to treat.
Often, this results from the doctor being over-stretched with too many patients by putting their profits first.
- Medication Error
Malpractice can occur after a correct diagnosis if a doctor provides their patient with the incorrect medication.
This can be an error in the prescription or an over-prescription when the wrong dosage is given, resulting in a lack of treatment for the original condition, serious illness, and even death.
- Anesthesia Errors
During surgery, anesthesia malpractice can result in severe brain injuries and death. There have also been cases of patients not receiving the correct amount of anesthesia and experiencing pain during the operation.
Also, the surgical equipment could be defective, leading to a medical malpractice lawyer being able to sue the manufacturer.
- Bedsores
Long periods in bed without moving will lead to unpleasant and painful wounds known as bedsores.
Improper after-care or long-term hospice care can lead to patients developing bedsores, giving them the right to sue for malpractice.
- Poor Dental Care
Dental malpractice is sometimes less common, but if a patient receives poor treatment or oral surgery, the impacts can be life-long.
A dentist could misdiagnose oral cancer leading to serious health complications for the patient.
Seek Advice for Common Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Cases
If you think that you may have experienced one of these common medical malpractice lawsuit cases, then you must seek the advice of a medical malpractice lawyer.
They can advise you on what legal recourse is available to you and what steps to take next.
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