Medical errors are listed as the third-leading cause of death in the United States. A recent study uncovered that the number of patients who die from preventable medical errors is between 210,000 and 400,000 each year. These are both shocking statistics that should not be taken lightly. As some of you may notice, this is not the first time we have touched on this subject. As an established McKinney medical malpractice law firm, we believe it is our duty to educate residents throughout North Texas about these types of cases and why it is so important to be on alert when it comes to receiving care from medical professionals.
Some of the most common types of medical malpractice lawsuits are liability cases that occur as a result of an overwhelmed staff or a lack of trained personnel. On the other hand, many of these cases come about because of off-label drug prescribing, which is when a drug is prescribed to a patient for a use it has not been approved by the FDA for. In order to give you a better idea of what, exactly, a medical malpractice lawsuit is and what needs to have occurred for you to have a case, we thought it would be helpful to go over the most common types of medical malpractice claims. One important note before we get started: Just because a doctor makes a mistake or a patient was unhappy with the course of treatment, it does not mean that malpractice necessarily took place. For a case to meet the legal definition of medical malpractice, the healthcare professional must have been negligent in some way. If you or a loved one has been injured or worse as a result of a physician’s error or negligence, contact Wormington & Bollinger today.
Here is a look at the various types of medical malpractice lawsuits. If you have any questions about the information below, please contact our McKinney medical malpractice law firm today.
Misdiagnosis
Both delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis account for a large majority of the medical malpractice claims. When a healthcare professional either misdiagnosis a condition or fails to diagnose a serious condition, the patient is at risk for missing treatment opportunities that could prevent serious harm or even death. In order to prove this type of medical malpractice claim, you will need to compare the actions of the doctor in question with that of other competent doctors within the same specialty. If other skilled doctors would not have made the same diagnostic error, you have a case.
Drug Errors
Drug ErrorsThe second most common medical malpractice claim concerns drug errors. Accounting for somewhere between 6 and 20 percent of claims, these type of cases include errors in prescribing, dosage, and administration of certain drugs. This can happen if the doctor either writes an incorrect dosage on the prescription, or if the nurse administers the wrong amount.
Childbirth Injuries
Another of the most common types of medical malpractice lawsuits are fetal injuries, which can include brain injuries, fractured bones, and damage to the nerves. When it comes to these cases, it is important to keep in mind that there is a likelihood that these types of injuries were caused by something other than medical malpractice. However, a physician or obstetrician’s negligence can happen either during childbirth or long before.
Anesthesia Errors
These types of mistakes are often more dangerous than mistakes made during surgery. Even the smallest error by the anesthesiologist can cause permanent injury, brain damage, or even death. Before a patient is given anesthesia, a physician is required to note the individual’s characteristics and conditions. They will also take the patient’s age, medical condition, past reactions, type of surgery, and medication into consideration. Any negligence during the initial assessment or once the patient goes under could have devastating results.
Here at Wormington & Bollinger, we understand how serious and emotionally challenging medical malpractice lawsuits can be. To meet with one of our knowledgeable attorneys to go over your case in person, please contact our McKinney law firm today.