Types of Medical Malpractice
Any health care provider can be found responsible for medical malpractice as long as the victim is able to prove that the medical professional did not meet the standard of care deemed appropriate for their profession. A medical negligence lawsuit can be filed for a variety of reasons, including late or misdiagnosis, surgical errors, unnecessary surgeries, prescription drug errors, birth injuries, and general medical malpractice.
Prescription Drug Errors
More than 1.5 million people are injured by prescription drug errors each year. One of the more common types of medical malpractice, prescription errors often prove fatal. Common prescription drug errors include:
- Wrong medication
- Wrong dosage
- Failure to reasonably foresee complications
- Defective or dangerous drugs
- Illegible prescriptions
Any number of medical professionals can be found liable for prescription drug errors, including doctors and physicians, healthcare or nursing staff, pharmacists, and marketers and manufacturers of the drugs themselves.
Diagnosis Errors
Correctly diagnosing a patient is absolutely crucial in determining proper treatment. Sometimes, misdiagnosis can happen when symptoms are not completely apparent. Regardless of the circumstance, a misdiagnosis or late diagnosis can prove costly in potential treatment options. If a patient is not treated properly due to a diagnosis error, the medical professional may be held accountable for further injury. Some common types of misdiagnosis include:
- Failure to diagnose appendicitis
- Misdiagnosis of diabetes
- Failure to diagnose a stroke
- Failure to diagnose cancer
- Misdiagnosis of symptoms that eventually lead to a heart attack
- Failure to recognize a pulmonary embolism
- Failure to recognize meningitis
Birth Injuries
Any medical attention or healthcare provided by a medical professional during the birthing process that is considered below the acceptable standard of care can be considered medical malpractice. Some of the most common birth injuries include:
- Erbs Palsy
- Cerebral Palsy
- Fractures
- Brain Damage
- Fetal Death
Surgical Errors
The slightest mistake while a patient is in surgery can result in injury. Common surgical errors include lacerations of an internal organ, uncontrollable blood loss, puncturing of an organ or foreign objects left inside the patient. Symptoms of surgical errors may not become apparent until months after the procedure. Surgical errors can result in:
- Additional surgeries
- Infection
- Damage to internal organs
- Immune system failure
- Wrongful death
Unnecessary Surgeries
An unnecessary surgery is usually the result of misdiagnosis. Some of the most common unnecessary surgical procedures include:
- Hysterectomy
- Coronary Bypass Surgery
- Cesarean Section
- Pacemaker Implants
Contact a Florida Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you believe that you or a loved one has been a victim of medical negligence, it is important to have an experienced medical malpractice attorney by your side. Our medical injury lawyers have experience in successfully preparing and presenting the facts of medical malpractice claims, which is necessary to prove negligence. For immediate assistance with your Florida medical malpractice claim, fill out our online contact form. A member of our team will review your potential lawsuit and help guide you on your next course of action. Contact us today for a free and confidential case evaluation to discuss your legal options.
