17 December, 2020
Accidents happen everywhere, including hospitals. However, that is not to say that it is acceptable for a healthcare provider to hurt you during a medical procedure, even if by mistake. Doctors and nurses are trained to assess patients, diagnose them, and prescribe treatment plans, all while ensuring they do not aggravate the symptoms or cause them any harm. If you are a victim of medical malpractice, you should seek compensation from the insurer of the practice where the accident occurred. Check out these common medical malpractice claims for more information:
1. Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis claims
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis for a condition with a steep development curve can have a life-changing impact or even prove fatal to the patient. It can also lead to unnecessary medical costs and lengthy downtimes. All these losses plus the resulting pain and suffering should be considered in the valuation of your claim. Ensure you seek legal counsel when pursuing a personal injury lawsuit, as lawyers are in a better position to establish the true value of your claim.
2. Medication error claims
Medication errors also happen to be a very common form of medical malpractice. A healthcare provider may prescribe or administer two or more conflicting medications or give a wrong dosage, causing an adverse reaction or drawn-out recovery process. There have also been cases where a nurse or doctor confuses patients in a hospital setting and administers medication to one meant for the other.
3. Childbirth injury claims
While some birth injuries are congenital and entirely natural, a good deal of them are a product of medical malpractice. Given the difficulty of telling what occurred naturally from what was caused by negligence, it is advisable to seek expert advice if your newborn has an injury or develops a medical condition. It is also worth noting that even mothers can be directly affected by procedural errors during birth.
4. Lack of informed consent
In case you didn’t know, doctors have a duty to tell you about the expected outcome and potential risks of treatment as well as available alternatives. Failures associated with lack of informed consent can be rightfully met with claims and lawsuits as they are a product of violation of medical ethics. If you feel you didn’t receive enough information regarding treatment before its administration and are now suffering because of it, it would be in order to file an insurance claim.
5. Surgical errors
About 4,000 erroneous surgeries occur in the U.S. each year. That is nothing to sneeze at, given the overlong downtime associated with most surgeries. The most common cases involve surgeons operating the wrong organs or puncturing organs. Insurance claims about doctors leaving surgical equipment in patients’ bodies are few and far between, but not negligibly so. No matter the type of error — from organ damage to anesthesia-related issues through to blatant neglect — you are entitled to compensation if the blunder happens through no fault of your own.
Endnote
These are some of the most common medical malpractice claims. If you feel your issue is related to any of them, don’t hesitate to pursue a compensation claim. A lawyer will help you get the most out of your claim.
