Medical providers very often have their patients’ lives in their hands and bear the responsibility of giving effective appropriate treatment to every person. This is stressful for professionals who are often overworked in facilities that are understaffed. The result is a higher frequency of mistakes. These mistakes may be inconsequential, or they may seriously damage a patient’s life. These three common medical malpractice claims represent the latter.
Delayed or incorrect diagnosis
According to CNN, medical errors are so common that they may be the third most common cause of death in the U.S. Of these errors, delayed or incorrect diagnoses are at the top. Doctors are often pressured to see patients quickly and rush through examinations and procedures, and the resulting failure to properly diagnose can have deadly consequences. This is one reason it is a good idea to get a second medical opinion.
Malpractice during childbirth
New mothers’ health and wellbeing are of the utmost importance, but the safety of their child is even more important. There are many issues that can arise during prenatal care or birthing that can harm a mother or her child and lead to malpractice claims. Unnecessary caesarean sections, failure to handle complications and misuse of equipment are commonly cited as causes of injury during birth.
Errors involving medication
Properly prescribing and dispensing medication is imperative. Unfortunately, however, errors are common. Doctors sometimes write the wrong prescription or prescribe the wrong medication due to misdiagnosis. Other times, the problem occurs at the pharmacy, and the wrong medication is dispensed to a patient. This can cause severe injury or even death and is a serious form of malpractice.
If you have been the victim of one of these injuries or any other incident of medical malpractice, you should know that there is legal recourse available. Contact an attorney to learn more about pursuing a case and making a claim to facilitate your recovery.