When you enter a medical facility, be it a practice or a hospital, there is only one expectation.
To hopefully get better.
But in some cases, the blame for a patient worsening condition can squarely be put upon those who are paid to heal, treat and cure.
This is medical malpractice, and cases are more common than you think. One study found them to be the third leading cause of death in the US behind cancer and heart disease!
So what does it cover? In this post, we will run through three of the most common types of medical malpractice.
Misdiagnosis
Perhaps one of the most curious things to know about different types of medical malpractice is that misdiagnosis is its most common form.
Misdiagnosis happens when a doctor gives an incorrect diagnosis due to failing to recognize and provide treatment for a condition.
When this happens, one of the consequences is that a doctor can prescribe the wrong medication. As you can imagine, this error could lead to very serious side effects.
Patients can also continue suffering from preventable painful symptoms if they are caught at the right time. At times, the true condition can worsen, leading to a surgical procedure that would not have happened otherwise.
In its most severe cases, misdiagnosis can even be fatal. Grave conditions such as cancer that doctors miss can lead to entirely preventable deaths.
Birth Injuries
A mother giving birth to her precious child should be a time of great joy. Unfortunately, however, birth injuries are also one of the most frequent types of medical malpractice that malpractice lawyers have to deal with.
As you can imagine, negligence at this time can lead to serious consequences for mother and baby.
At the time of delivery, a lack of awareness could mean not noticing a baby in distress or that the umbilical cord is around the baby’s neck. In addition, the medical staff could miss when the opportune time would be to act and perform a cesarean section.
Harm to the child could result in paralysis, conditions such as cerebral palsy, and developmental issues.
Surgical Errors
Doctors give a “Never Event” that name for a good reason. It should never happen.
This term is used by medical professionals to describe surgical errors that happen during surgery. A surgeon could leave things such as sponges or gauze inside a patient. There are even cases when surgical instruments have been forgotten. When this happens, corrective surgery can be necessary to prevent or treat the infection.
In the most extreme cases, surgeons can operate on the wrong body part or even the wrong person.
Be Clued up About the Different Types of Medical Malpractice
Learning the basics about what is and what isn’t medical malpractice is a smart decision for all. While we expect the best, knowing them can be a cause of protection should you or a loved one fall foul to these serious failures in healthcare. We hope that our informative breakdown of the most common types of medical malpractice has shed some light on what can be a hazy subject. If you enjoyed this, please check out the other legal and healthcare posts on our blog!
