Medical malpractice is a form of negligence that happens when the doctor fails to live up to their responsibility while treating a patient and that results in damage or injury to that patient. Due to the complexity of these cases and the difficulty of determining malpractice, the United States has developed medical malpractice law for these unique cases.
While not all medical errors result in medical malpractice, there are several types of damage and injuries that typically are a result of common medical mistakes that result in medical malpractice. If you experience these with your physician you may think about the possibility that your doctor may have committed medical malpractice.
Upon occasion, a patient can receive the wrong medication. There are a number of ways that this could happen. It is possible that the pharmacist may have filled the prescription incorrectly. There could be an error on the medication label. The doctor’s handwriting may have been difficult to read. If you are given the incorrect medication or dosage there could be dire consequences. Consequences could range from allergic reaction or overdose to incompatibility with other medications, to death. Always verify that you are getting the correct medication and advise your doctor if you are taking any other medications.
Another far too common medical malpractice mistake is wrong-site surgery. Between 1,300 and 2,700 cases of wrong-site surgery are estimated to occur every year. This could mean that the doctor operated on the wrong part of the body or even the wrong patient. To prevent this, some doctors have the patient draw a mark on the proper site prior to the operation. The most important thing that medical professionals can do to prevent this tragic error is to slow down. Taking the time to verify the patient’s name and procedure can help reduce the medical malpractice errors.
If you have any questions about medical malpractice, please call us at Schulman, Roth and Associates.
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