Do you believe that something went terribly wrong with your medical care and that a healthcare provider’s mistake led to a bad outcome? If so, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim to seek compensation and justice for the harm you’ve endured. At Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., we hold negligent doctors and other healthcare professionals responsible when they make mistakes that harm patients. Call us today for a free case review.
Medical Malpractice Defined
Medical malpractice is the term used to describe a healthcare professional’s negligence. Unlike other personal injury cases, where negligence is often measured by the “reasonable, prudent person” standard, medical malpractice cases hinge on what another competent medical provider in the same specialty and geographic area would have done under similar circumstances, known as the standard of care. When a medical provider deviates from the standard of care and harms a patient as a result, medical malpractice laws allow the injured patient or their family to seek recourse by filing a medical malpractice claim.
Did Your Doctor Make a Serious Mistake?
Medical malpractice can take many forms, but some of the most common that lead to patient injury include the following:
- Misdiagnosis: A misdiagnosis occurs when a healthcare professional mistakes a patient’s symptoms or lab findings for another condition the patient does not actually have.
- Failure to diagnose: A failure to diagnose may occur when a doctor misses symptoms, delaying or never providing the medical treatment that a patient needs. Sometimes, when treatment is delayed, the consequences can be fatal or otherwise catastrophic.
- Surgical errors: Surgeons are among the most highly trained, educated, and skilled medical professionals. However, they may make serious mistakes that harm patients, such as performing a surgery on the wrong patient, body part, or site. They could also leave tools and sponges inside the patient or nick an artery during surgery.
- Anesthesia errors: If a patient is given too much anesthesia, they may drift into a coma or suffer other adverse health complications, including possible brain damage. If they are given too little, they can unexpectedly wake up during a medical procedure and suffer severe emotional distress.
- Medication errors: Medication errors can take many different forms. Doctors may prescribe medication to a patient that they are allergic to or that has a dangerous interaction with another medication that they are taking. Other medication errors involve mixing up medications, ordering a medication that is not safe for the patient or their baby, giving too much medicine, giving too little medicine, or giving the wrong form of administration.
These are just a few examples of common causes of medical malpractice, but there are many more. Reach out to an experienced medical malpractice lawyer for help.
Contact Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette for a Free Case Review
A medical malpractice lawyer from Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C. can explain your legal rights, review your situation, and identify your legal options during a free consultation. Contact us today to learn more.