Exploring Different Types of Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice concerns many patients seeking care in the healthcare industry. Some people may even be surprised to find out that medical malpractice law exists and protects individuals from negligence or misconduct from their healthcare professional. Understanding what constitutes medical malpractice, the process involved in filing a claim against an individual/institution, and other vital information can help you if you ever need legal action against a healthcare provider. Here is a breakdown of the different types of medical malpractice that can occur.

1. Misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis is when a healthcare professional incorrectly identifies a patient's illness or condition or fails to diagnose it promptly. This misstep could lead to the patient receiving ineffective or no treatment, exacerbating their health status. A common example includes confusing the symptoms of a serious condition like cancer with a less severe illness, delaying crucial treatment.

Misdiagnosis can also occur when tests aren’t handled properly or when symptoms are disregarded. Medical malpractice lawyers at www.hoovermedicalmalpracticelaw.com can help those who have experienced a misdiagnosis and sustained harm due to negligence or incompetence on the part of their healthcare professional. This form of medical malpractice can significantly harm the patient, including illness progression, unnecessary or harmful treatment, and in the worst cases, death.

2. Delayed Diagnosis

This is a form of medical malpractice where a healthcare professional fails to identify a medical condition appropriately or promptly. This delay can lead to the advancement of the disease or illness, causing additional harm to the patient or even leading to a fatal outcome. The causes of delayed diagnosis can vary, ranging from overlooking symptoms, not ordering necessary tests, or failing to follow up on suspicious findings.

A typical example might be a physician dismissing a lump as non-threatening and delaying further tests, only to discover it's a malignant tumor eventually. This delay can lead to more aggressive treatment down the line, or in the worst cases; the disease may become untreatable. Like misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis can severely affect a patient's health and quality of life.

3. Surgical Errors 

Surgeons and nurses can make mistakes that result in minor complications like bleeding or infection to more serious ones such as organ damage, paralysis, or even death. Common reasons for surgical errors include:

• Need for adequate training/experience.
• Fatigue due to long work hours.
• Lack of communication between medical staff.
• Performing surgical procedures without the patient's informed consent. 

In extreme cases, a surgeon may perform an incorrect procedure on the wrong patient or remove the wrong organ. These errors can be avoided by ensuring proper protocols are followed in every setting, ensuring the right patient is being operated on, and double-checking that the correct procedure is being done. 

4. Medication Errors 

Incorrectly prescribed medication or dosages can have serious consequences for a patient's health, ranging from mild allergic reactions to severe cases like organ failure and even death. Common causes of medication errors include:

• Inadequate training/experience.
• Not following protocols.
• Disregarding allergies and drug interactions.
• Forgetting to ask about medical history before prescribing a medication. 

It's also possible for pharmacists to make mistakes during medication preparation, leading to the wrong drug being administered or an incorrect dosage given. To prevent medication errors from occurring in the first place, healthcare professionals should take extra precautions when dealing with prescription drugs, checking that there are no allergies or drug interactions before administering a medication and closely monitoring the patient's progress. 

5. Birth Injuries 

This type of medical malpractice refers to an injury sustained by a newborn during childbirth, either due to the healthcare professional's negligence or because they didn't follow protocols. Common examples include cerebral palsy and Erb's palsy, which can be caused by excessive force applied to the baby's head during delivery. Other birth injuries can consist of facial paralysis, lacerations, fractures due to oxygen deprivation, or improper use of instruments. 

To reduce the risk of birth injuries, healthcare professionals should take extra precautions during labor and delivery, monitor the baby's vital signs during childbirth, and pay attention to warning signs such as fetal distress. Complications can also be avoided by performing a C-section on high-risk pregnancies and avoiding the use of excessive force during delivery.

6. Nursing Home Negligence

Nursing home negligence is a common medical malpractice that can have devastating consequences for vulnerable individuals. Poor living conditions, inadequate nutrition and hydration, medication errors, lack of supervision, and unsanitary surroundings are all examples of nursing home neglect that can lead to serious health issues or even death. These cases can be complex and challenging to prove, but with a proper legal team in your corner, you may be able to obtain justice for the harm done.

By understanding these different types of medical malpractice, you can better protect yourself and your loved ones from the potential harms of medical negligence. It's also important to pay attention to any suspicious findings or unexpected outcomes after receiving care from a healthcare professional and to report any potential cases of malpractice you may encounter. This will not only help you, but it can also protect other patients from the same fate.