Reasons Medical Professionals Get Sued

Medical Malpractice Lawyer

In the medical world, there are a lot of mistakes that can amount to a medical malpractice suit. Whether it’s the doctor, the nurse, the x-ray technician or the physical therapist, medical errors are somewhat common among healthcare professionals. The following are some common reasons a patient might sue a medical professional.

Misdiagnosis

When doctors have a hard time diagnosing a particular patient, they sometimes go through a trial and error period where they give the wrong diagnosis, treat it and end up ruling it out. Other situations include a doctor that was simply not paying enough attention to a patient and therefore misdiagnosed him or her. In any case, a misdiagnosis can lead to a variety of other health issues, possibly even death. When patients are misdiagnosed or are given an unreasonably delayed diagnosis, they may sue their physician.

Surgical Error

Many surgical procedures are quite delicate in nature, which leaves room for a lot of error. There are other shocking situations related to surgery, such as a surgeon amputating the wrong limb, leaving a rag inside the body and other similar unbelievable circumstances. Whether due to a delicate procedure or an outlandish situation, surgical errors account for about 33% of medical malpractice lawsuits.

Medication-Related Errors

There are medication-related errors that can happen at any point during the course of being prescribed something. You doctor could prescribe the wrong medication. The nurse could put the order into the pharmacy wrong. The pharmacist could fill your bottle with the wrong pill. The pharmacy tech could apply the wrong dosage information to the bottle. The list of blame goes on, but the fact remains medication-related errors affect around 1.5 million U.S. citizens each year, many of which end up in a lawsuit.

Anesthesia Errors

Patients who were paralyzed just enough to no be able to communicate, yet could feel their surgery happening are among some of those who file medical malpractice lawsuits when they don’t receive enough anesthesia. Other situations related to anesthesia include receiving too much, which can result in long-term health issues or death.

Pregnancy and Childbirth Injuries

When a doctor doesn’t anticipate potential problems during pregnancy or childbirth, or when the physician handles a situation inappropriately, it can have devastating effects for a pregnant mother and her child. Many medical malpractice lawsuits are surrounding this important event, whether it has to do with the development of the baby or the mother’s health at the time of delivery.

Contacting a Lawyer

There are so many situations that could lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit, it’s impossible to list everything in one place. If you feel you or a loved one has been the victim of a medical mistake, contact a medical malpractice lawyer, today to discuss your options.