Healthcare professionals have a legal and moral obligation to provide their patients with the standard duty of care needed to safeguard their health and well-being. However, when a symptom gets overlooked and the illness progresses, it can lead to the patient developing a more severe health condition.
Here are three common types of medical malpractice in hospitals:
Birth injury
Childbirth injuries can arise at any time during the mother’s pregnancy and during her childbirth. For example, the doctor failed to diagnose a disease that may be harmful for the mother’s fetus, such as genital herpes. This form of prenatal care negligence can carry health complications for both the mother and her developing fetus.
Medical malpractice during childbirth can also take on many forms. Four common examples include improper use of delivery tools, failure to administer cesarean section, failure to detect fetal distress and excessive pulling on the baby’s head during a prolonged delivery.
Misdiagnosis
A patient’s health condition can worsen when their doctor provides them with an incorrect diagnosis for their injury or illness. For example, a patient goes to the doctor to complain about chest pain. The doctor diagnosed them with indigestion and gave them antacid medication. After a couple of days, the patient was taken to the ER and suffered a heart attack.
Because of the doctor’s failure to correctly identify their symptoms, the patient did not receive prompt medical attention. This malpractice then leads to the patient’s condition progressing and turning into a heart attack — endangering their life.
Surgical errors
This medical malpractice happens when a surgeon makes a mistake while operating on a patient or when the patient develops a post-surgical infection after their surgical procedure. Three common examples of this medical malpractice include operating on the wrong body part, puncturing an organ or blood vessel, and leaving a piece of surgical equipment inside the patient’s body.
Your recourse after medical malpractice
People go to their healthcare providers because they are faithful that they can provide them with the best treatment for their injury or illness. However, when they fail to provide you or your loved one with their duty of care, you have the right to demand compensation and sue them for malpractice.
ES