Medical mistakes happen from time to time. However, there is a drastic difference between human error and a blatant disregard for the standard of care.
Medical malpractice is not a foregone conclusion when a patient becomes hurt or sicker while receiving medical care. To rise to malpractice, the provider or facility needs to have committed an act of negligence. Proving a patient’s injury, illness or death was due to a negligent medical decision is the key to malpractice cases. Discover some common malpractice scenarios.
Failing to diagnose an illness that becomes worse
When a patient goes to the doctor with a complaint, and the doctor does not take a reasonable course of action to find a diagnosis, the patient may get sicker. While some illnesses take time to diagnose, a doctor who does not take medically accepted action to get to the bottom of symptoms may wind up defending a malpractice claim.
Waiting to intervene during a difficult birth
While labor and delivery are safer, there are still instances when a medical provider’s negligence may cause injury to the baby. Some birth injuries may result if a provider fails to intervene during delivery. The most common birth injuries to a newborn include:
- Oxygen deprivation
- Fractured clavicle
- Bruising
- Nerve damage
- Cerebral palsy
Administering the wrong medication
Admission to the hospital usually begins with an intake when a patient provides a medical history, including known allergic reactions to medications. There are instances of neglect when a patient may receive the wrong medication. This may occur either due to a charting error or a personal misstep.
Some instances of medical malpractice are more egregious than others. If someone experiences negligence from the person tasked with providing care, it may result in a lifetime of issues.