Malpractice is essentially the lack of proper care or responsibility that is undertaken by a medical professional, resulting in injury or even death. It is worth bearing in mind that each case is individual and there can be extenuating circumstances that lead to these outcomes, meaning that a doctor or a nurse is not liable for the development or the outcome of medical complications.
However, more often than not, malpractice occurs because of negligence, an accident, or improper care on the medical professional’s part, which can result in health problems for the patient.
This piece will explain a few different forms of medical malpractice in order to give you an further insight into some of the problems that can occur.
Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis is actually the most common form of malpractice, which is a significant problem in itself. This means that before someone even makes it to the operating table, they are already a victim of malpractice. But what does misdiagnosis mean for patients and why is it classified as malpractice?
If a condition is misdiagnosed, goes untreated altogether, or is treated in an untimely fashion, this can spell disaster for the patient. Patients can be fortunate if it is a condition that is relatively harmless, but for those who have cancer, diabetes, or other life-threatening issues, a misdiagnosis can inevitably lead to death or serious injury.
The malpractice part comes in if a doctor or nurse can be proven to have been negligent during a diagnosis, such as misinterpreting symptoms or conditions that would have otherwise been easy to identify by other medical professionals.
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Medication Errors
Medication errors are quite possibly the second most common form of malpractice, and can present itself in two ways. First, a medical professional could make an incorrect judgment on the prescription of a medication, which could lead to either the worsening of a symptom or it may have a negative interaction with another medication or pre-existing problem. Alternatively, a condition may either worsen or a new one may present itself due to an incorrect dosage of a drug, which could lead to complications, accidental overdoses, or in the worst case, both.
Childbirth
Unfortunately, a large and growing number of malpractice lawsuits are centered around the pre- and post-effects of improper care during childbirth. This is true for both mother and baby, as medical professionals may fail to diagnose conditions in either of them, resulting in the mother being unaware of any issues that could be prevented. Post-effects are usually caused by a medical practitioner’s carelessness in handling the delivery of the baby, which can cause all kinds of long-term, detrimental, and serious effects. This article tells you all you need to know about Chicago medical malpractice lawyers and what to do if you think you have been a victim.
Surgery Errors
Surgery errors are less common than other forms of malpractice, but considering the invasiveness of the procedures, that is somewhat of a small relief. The chances of a serious problem occurring increase when surgery is involved. For example, there may be accidental internal damage caused by the unintended cutting of an organ or an artery; or even the more bizarre situations such as surgeons leaving instruments inside you before sewing the skin back up! However, even post-surgery negligence can be considered malpractice, such as not advising patients on medication or what should be avoided during recovery and rehabilitation.
