By Tim O’Hare
Every day across the country, people suffer injury as a result of medical malpractice. Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals can make mistakes as a result of negligence that ends up harming a patient. Medical malpractice can result in serious injury and even death.
Medical malpractice suits are comprised of several legal elements, including duty of care by a doctor to a patient, breach of that duty of care (negligence), and negligence as a cause of injury. In a medical malpractice case, it is necessary to show that a medical professional was negligent in providing care to a patient, which resulted in injury or death to that patient.
There are a handful of common malpractice claims, including misdiagnosis, prescription drug error, failure to treat, and surgical errors or mistakes.
Misdiagnosis
While it can be difficult to diagnose illness, misdiagnosis of disease or illness and as a result failure to treat, or treatment for the wrong diagnosis can cause serious injury to a patient, and even lead to death. Some medical conditions that are commonly misdiagnosed include appendicitis, heart attack and a number of infections.
Prescription Drug Errors
Prescription drug errors may include a doctor prescribing a drug to a patient who is allergic to that medication, or a pharmacist filling a prescription with the wrong medication. Allergic reactions to medications can be deadly, and taking the wrong medication can result in extended illness or injury as the patient’s illness or disease goes untreated.
Failure to Treat
Negligence on the part of a doctor regarding diagnosis of illness or disease can result in failure to treat that illness. When illness or disease goes untreated, it could be fatal for that patient. Doctors have a duty to their patients to diligently work to diagnose and provide proper treatment for illnesses.
Surgical Errors or Mistakes
This is not just something seen in movies, it is unfortunately a common occurrence in medicine. Surgical errors can include a nurse’s failure to remove a sponge or other piece of surgical equipment from the patient’s body, a surgeon operating on the wrong body part or even the wrong patient, or an anesthesiologist providing improper administration of anesthesia during surgery.
When a patient dies as a result of negligence by a medical professional, the patient’s family may be able to file a wrongful death claim for damages resulting from their loved one’s death.
Medical malpractice claims can be complicated. If you have experienced what you believe to be medical malpractice, contact The Law Offices of Tim O’Hare for a free initial consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney. Call us at 972-960-0000 or Toll-Free 888-960-0020.
