Each year, many people experience undue suffering and pain because of medical malpractice. When a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional fails to exercise the appropriate amount of preparation and caution during a medical procedure or course of treatment, they put patients at risk for a variety of negative outcomes. In order to define medical malpractice, law makers and qualified attorneys have outlined a number of examples of medical malpractice. These examples can help you to know if you have been a victim of negligence and substandard service at the hands of a medical professional.
Diagnostic Malpractice
When a patient experiences diagnostic malpractice, it means that their doctor has failed to diagnose—or has delayed diagnosis of misdiagnosed—a serious, possibly life threatening, condition. This can result in unnecessary pain and suffering for a patient because the diagnostic error prevented them from gaining access to all available treatments. In cases of diagnostic malpractice, the patient would have been able to receive earlier treatments, or opted for different courses of treatment, that may have improved their health and prolonged their lives if the error had not occurred.
Informed Consent
This is one of the most common medical malpractice examples. When a doctor or other medical technician has not provided a patient with the full amount of information available about a certain procedure, it is not only illegal, but also presents a huge risk factor to the patient’s health. It is important that individuals are informed about all the risks and consequences involved with a surgery, medication, or other medical procedure.
Error In Surgery
Surgical errors are probably one of the most dangerous forms of malpractice. Medical malpractice deaths are usually associated with this category of negligence. Injuries which are sustained by the patient during their surgery can cause irreparable damage to certain physical structures in a person’s body. This can lead to compounded injuries, disability, and—in the most extreme cases—death to the patient.
What To Do When You Are A Malpractice Victim
If you have experienced any of the examples of medical malpractice listed above, or you think that you have experienced a different situation which qualifies as medical malpractice, it is important that you receive the help and support you need. There are certain legal measures that can be taken to provide compensation to victims of negligence and other forms of malpractice. In order to learn more about what you can do, contact a medical malpractice attorney in your area as soon as possible. Call 615-859-2223 today for a FREE consultation with an experienced medical malpractice attorney at the Law Office of Eric Beasley.