MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEY
Lives hang in the balance at doctor’s offices and hospitals, and people put their trust in these medical providers. Unfortunately, you and your loved ones are vulnerable in these situations, where you must rely on medical staff to take care of you following an accident, illness, or injury. You or a loved one could be harmed by a physician’s or medical facility’s negligence. In the event of neglect or error, it may be necessary for you to file a medical malpractice case to recover compensation for your harm and losses. And when that happens, a medical malpractice attorney can help you determine if you have a valid claim.
What is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice happens when errors or negligence caused by doctors or other healthcare providers lead to painful, severe, or life-changing injuries and suffering. Depending on the severity of the harm, your livelihood and quality of life could be changed forever. Much pain and confusion often surround a medical malpractice issue.
As a victim, you may be angry, overwhelmed, grief-filled, or physically and emotionally incapable of handling the prospect of a future that you or a loved one no longer get to have. In this situation, a medical malpractice attorney can take care of the legal aspects of your medical malpractice matter, so that you can focus on recovery.
Types of Medical Malpractice
If you are wondering what constitutes medical malpractice, here are a few common examples:
Birth Injuries
Pregnancy and birth come with many risks that may be out of your control. A leading brain-related injury from birth trauma is cerebral palsy (CP). Often CP can be eliminated if a physician provides the correct preventative measures. Other instances of birth and delivery injury can include:
- Failure to detect, monitor, and treat maternal infections
- Failure to plan or carry out an emergency C-section
- Failure to identify and adequately treat a prolapsed umbilical cord
- Failure to use birth-assisting tools, such as forceps, correctly
- Failure to address preeclampsia
- Failure to recognize and treat abnormalities with the placenta
- Failure to mitigate damages from excessively long labor or prematurity
These issues and more fall under the umbrella of medical malpractice and could be used to design a strategic case.
Diagnostic Errors
A misdiagnosis can be a significant error. It can even mean the difference between life and death. If a doctor treats the wrong issue due to missing specific indicators or misunderstanding a patient’s condition, the consequences can lead to a worsening of the condition or something even more devastating. If your medical provider has misdiagnosed you, you could have a medical malpractice case.
Surgical Errors
Surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses are all human beings, so they may make mistakes. Also, a foreign item such as a sponge or gauze could be left inside after surgery. A nerve could be damaged, as well. Or, a patient could be exposed to an excess of anesthesia. When you’re fully under a medical provider’s care and an error is made during surgery, then it is likely that medical negligence has occurred.
Treatment, Medication and Monitoring Errors
If a doctor prescribes the wrong amount of medication, or if a patient isn’t treated and monitored carefully and correctly, these mistakes can be costly and even life-threatening. Mistakes made in the medical field are often just cause for legal action. If you suspect medical malpractice has occurred, don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself or a loved one. Contact a medical malpractice attorney right away to discuss your situation.