All About Medical Malpractice

All About Medical Malpractice

The medical industry is so complicated that, typically, you need a professional license to prove your competence. But there are instances where even the most competent medical professional becomes negligent or reckless, resulting into the harm of their patients, either through injury or medical complication.

It is a good thing that there is a legal concept such as medical malpractice. According to the website of the Woodbridge medical malpractice attorneys of the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, those who have been victims of medical malpractice may take legal action against the responsible parties, such as getting compensation from the damages they have sustained.

But how can it be determined that an instance is a medical malpractice case? There are variables that can be considered:

• There is a direct professional-patient relationship
• The professional has the duty of care for the patient
• The professional has acted or failed to act in a way that violates the duty of care
• The violation has harmed the patient in any form

Unnecessarily harming the patient has a variety of consequences. The patient suffers not just from unwarranted injuries and complications, but also from unwarranted medical costs to fix the problems, such as corrective surgeries and prolonged hospital confinements.

Of course, these costs do not come free, and on the worst instances, may even reach thousands upon thousands of dollars. The financial burdens do not end there. Being a victim of medical malpractice may also mean that the patient is going to lose time at work, and therefore cannot earn a living. On worst instances, the medical malpractice may even disable the victim, making him lose his ability to earn a living temporarily or permanently.

The website of Crowe & Mulvey, LLP has enumerated various areas where medical malpractice can arise as an issue. But some areas are more common than others. Below are some of the most common medical malpractice claims:

• Anesthesia errors, such as giving too much or too little anesthesia
• Birth injuries sustained either during the pregnancy or delivery
• Emergency room errors, like failing to give adequate treatment immediately
• Hospital negligence, such as treatment delays and lack of attention to patients
• Medication errors, like giving the wrong drug or wrong dosage
• Misdiagnosis, such as diagnosing a healthy patient as ill or vice versa
• Surgical errors, like accidentally puncturing organs or operating on the wrong body part