What Qualifies As Medical Negligence

Medical negligence occurs when a medical professional such as a doctor or nurse fails to provide a standard of care. A victim who suffers a serious injury or illness after being treated by a doctor or other medical staff worker can file a claim for medical malpractice. These claims are hard to win, so hiring a lawyer who has resolved medical malpractice claims for injured victims is recommended to increase your odds. Know the following types of errors that can be considered medical negligence.

Delayed care

If you go to a hospital, you should receive medical care as soon as possible. Many patients have suffered harm because they did not receive care in time. If your care has been delayed with no explanation or was purposefully delayed by a doctor, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim.

Interpreting lab results incorrectly

A lab technician or other hospital or clinic staff may not properly read your results correctly. Misread lab results are egregious errors and it causes a patient’s condition to decline rapidly because they don’t get the right treatment that they need for their actual health issue. You can file a medical malpractice claim with the help of a lawyer. They will evaluate your medical records and determine if there is evidence that can connect your health problem to the medical worker’s actions.

Giving the wrong prescription 

If you have been given the wrong medication by a doctor or pharmacist and have suffered an injury because of it, it may be considered a prescription error. Every year patients file malpractice claims because of common prescription errors such as being given the wrong dosage, incorrect instructions, and the wrong medication. Doctors, pharmacies and hospitals can be sued for prescription errors, so talk to a lawyer to find out what you need to do to prepare your case.

Misdiagnosing an illness 

As a qualified medical malpractice attorney like one from David & Philpot, P.L. can tell you, misdiagnosis is one of the most common reasons that patients file malpractice claims. A misdiagnosis can have severe health consequences. It can not only lead to complications, but it can result in a patient suffering permanent changes to their health as well. Sometimes a misdiagnosis can be fatal because the patient loses valuable treatment time.

Causing harm during surgery 

If you have gone through surgery and have suffered harm because of a surgeon’s mistake, you may file a claim against them. Many surgical errors include instruments being left in patients, having the wrong procedure done, and anesthesia errors. A surgical error can result in a patient experiencing long-term medical complications. They may take a long time to recover fully as they heal.

There is legal help available if you need it for a medical malpractice case. However, you should talk to a lawyer quickly if you would like to improve your chances in achieving the best case outcome possible. If you would like to know if you have a valid medical malpractice case, speak to a trusted attorney in your area for legal assistance.