Based on a study published in the Journal of Patient Safety, hospital errors are the third most common cause of death in the United States after heart disease and cancer. Medical malpractice is believed to lead to about 440,000 deaths every year.
While many errors may lead to a medical malpractice suit, some are more common than others.
Misdiagnosis may occur if a physician does not recognize clinical symptoms and signs, fails to seek extra information or order appropriate testing, or doesn’t refer the patient to the correct specialist. Other errors can also play into this problem, such as lost test results, mislabeled test or lab results, or errors in conducting a test or interpreting its data.
Based on information in the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, failing to treat a patient violates the standards of care that a doctor agrees to when seeing patients. Failure to treat can be established in many situations, such as releasing a patient from the hospital too soon, not ordering the right tests, failing to offer follow-up care, or not considering a patient’s history when choosing treatment.
Errors related to prescription drugs are another common cause of a medical malpractice suit. This could be prescribing the wrong drug, prescribing the wrong amount of a medication, or not recognizing dangerous allergic reactions or drug interactions. It can also take the form of not recognizing the signs of overdose, abuse, or addiction that can elevate health risks.
In both elective and emergency surgery, a physical must prevent harm. This also applies to procedures like biopsies. Some of the mistakes that may occur include performing surgery on the wrong person or the wrong body part. Gauze or tools may be left inside the person or there may be reactions to anesthesia. Not following the correct medical practices during, before, or after surgery also falls under this category.
Finally, injuries related to childbirth either during, before or after birth may lead to a medical malpractice suit. This includes inadequate prenatal care, excessive force removing the baby from the birth canal, or an umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck, mouth, or nose.
If you or a loved one is dealing with an illness or injury you believe is related to a medical error, a medical malpractice lawyer can help. Contact a Lawyer at Grewer Law Group can look into the case, determine who is liable, and help recover damages for physical and emotional injuries. Reach out to an experienced attorney for a free consultation before moving forward.
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