What Constitutes Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice is the negligence by a healthcare professional which has resulted in injury or even death of a patient. Cases of medical malpractice can include cases in which a patient has been given the incorrect medication dosage or even given the wrong diagnosis. Knowing whether or not you have a medical malpractice case is very important as you could be very well compensated if you do in fact have a case.

Injury Caused By Your Healthcare Provider – In order for you to file a medical malpractice claim, you must be able to prove that it was in fact negligence by the healthcare provider that resulted in injury to you. Generally, it is a good idea to have another healthcare provider who is an expert in the same field as your healthcare provider to explain how their mistake has caused your injury. If you cannot prove this, you will not have a standing case.

Childbirth Injuries – There are many different injuries that can be caused to your baby during childbirth by the medical provide. One example of negligence could be failure to diagnose a condition during pregnancy such as diabetes or preeclampsya.

Prescription Medication Errors – One of the most common mistakes made by healthcare providers is prescribing the wrong dosage of medication. In some cases, the doctor may have written the right dosage, but the nurse may have actually given the patient the wrong dose. Another instance could be that the healthcare provider gives the incorrect medication resulting in harm to the patient.

Surgery Errors – Surgery errors happen when the doctor makes a mistake in the operating room. This could include the surgeon puncturing an organ while operating, leaving medical equipment in the area operated on or even operating on the wrong body part. Sure these mistakes sound uncommon, but they do happen.

If you feel that you may be a victim of medical malpractice, you need to consult in a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you get your case started, the better. You want to make sure you do your research and choose a medical malpractice attorney who has had a lot of experience in medical malpractice claims.