Medical malpractice occurs when a hospital, doctor, or healthcare professional fails to provide appropriate treatment to patients, causing injury or death to a patient. Though some medical malpractice injuries are inevitable, there are a few that can be prevented. Out of all the common causes of death in the US, medical errors rank number three. More than 400,000 people die due to medical negligence every year.
Patients are at high-risk for these medical errors, and malpractice causes are increasingly getting worse. Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against the healthcare professional that causes injury or death to a loved one is advisable. Whether you are a patient or a loved one, understanding the most common causes of medical negligence could save a life.
Following are the most common causes of medical malpractice:
Misdiagnosis- Misdiagnosis means a failure to diagnose, resulting in wrong treatment. Heart attack, cancer, stroke, asthma, lyme disease, thyroid, celiac disease are the most common misdiagnosed conditions. Approx. 12 million individuals are misdiagnosed in hospitals across the United States. If a patient is not treated properly due to misdiagnosis, the healthcare professional may be liable for any further damages.
Surgical Errors- Surgical errors include failure to control bleeding, performing an inaccurate procedure, improper care before or after surgery etc. Sometimes, these errors are minor. But sometimes, these errors can result in serious consequences. Over 6% of patients suffering have died due to injuries caused by surgical errors.
Medication Errors- Medication errors occur when a patient is prescribed the wrong medicine. About 1.5 million people are injured or killed due to medication errors in the United States annually. Medication errors include wrong dosage, wrong medication, confusing drug labels, pharmacist error, prescribing medications with dangerous interactions etc. If your doctor fails to provide the right medication and this causes serious harm, you may file a medical malpractice case.
Birth Injuries- One of the most devastating medical malpractice causes is birth injuries. Some of the childbirth injuries are minor, while others have a severe impact. These birth injuries can cause lifelong challenges for your child.
Emergency Room Negligence- With a large number of patients every day, emergency rooms try to shift people as quickly as possible. If you have been suffered due to poor emergency room treatment, a professional attorney or lawyer can let you know if you have medical negligence or not.
Finding An Attorney for Your Medical Malpractice Case
If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of medical malpractice in Philadelphia, contact one of the professional attorneys. An experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyer Philadelphia can help you get the right compensation you deserve.