Imagine being a patient who goes into a hospital with a minor illness. It might be significant at the moment, but with a simple surgery or treatment, the problem could be resolved.
Now, imagine that your medical provider misses the diagnosis or performs the surgery so badly that you now have lasting complications. Both of those situations could amount to medical malpractice.
What is medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice happens when there is a violation of the standard of care that is expected in the medical community. Injuries that are caused by negligence must occur, and there must also be financial damages.
Some common forms of medical malpractice include:
- Failing to diagnose a medical condition when other medical providers would have been able to in the same specialty
- Improper medications or dosages
- Prematurely discharging a patient
- Failing to recognize symptoms
- Failing to order the proper testing
- Not taking the appropriate patient history
- Surgical errors or performing surgery on the wrong area of the body
There are many other situations that may qualify as medical malpractice as well.
What do you do if you believe you are a victim of medical malpractice?
If you believe that you are a victim of medical malpractice, it is a good idea to keep documentation on everything that has happened. Talk to your medical provider and ask what could have been done to have a better outcome. You should also speak with another medical provider in the same field to see if they agree that your surgery or treatment was not appropriate.
If you still believe that you have been injured as a result of malpractice, then you may want to learn more about your legal options.