The Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice

medical malpractice

Medical malpractice is something that can have terrible consequences for patients. So, you should be aware of what all the most common types of medical malpractice are. Knowing where you stand and what qualifies as medical malpractice is very important. So, read on to find out more.

medical malpractice

Misdiagnosis

Everyone makes mistakes, and medical professionals do sometimes get fooled by symptoms. There are many illnesses and diseases that share symptoms, so it’s common for misdiagnoses to happen. If you are diagnosed wrongly, it could mean that the actual problem is caused late. If you have something like cancer, being diagnosed late as a result of a misdiagnosis can be disastrous. If this happens to you, it’s perfectly understandable if you want to take legal action against the doctor.

Wrong Prescriptions

Being given the wrong medication is something that can happen pretty easily, unfortunately. If a doctor clicks on the wrong medication or hands you the wrong slip when they are giving you the prescription, it can happen. And it can have dire consequences for the patient. When you are taking medication for a problem that you don’t even have, your body can react in any way. It will all depend on the person’s’ existing health, the medication and how much is taken. It’s a good idea to double check your prescription so that you don’t accidentally get given the wrong one.

Birth Injuries

There are so many different types of birth injuries. Every mother wants their child to be born safely, so when something does go wrong, it can be traumatic. Some of these injuries can be relatively minor and the baby will recover from them quickly. But there are other injuries, such as bone breaks and fractures that will have a much larger impact. Many parents decide to contact a birth injury lawyer when something like this happens. It allows them to get compensation for their child.

Errors When Delivering Anaesthetic

This is one of the most dangerous types of medical malpractice. Fortunately, it is very rare, but it does happen from time to time. The outcomes of these kinds of mistakes can vary greatly. If the mistake is small, then the damage will be limited. But if a large mistake is made during the delivery of the anaesthetic, it can cause brain damage or even death. Other mistakes can be made during the time when the patient is under anaesthetic, such as a failure to monitor the patient’s vital signs.

Surgical Mistakes

Mistakes that are made by the surgeon are more common than many realise. Most of the time, these mistakes are so insignificant that they are never even noticed. But there are bigger mistakes that have a real impact on the life of the patient. For example, occasionally, a patient will have the wrong part of their body operated on. In the past, people have had a problem with their right leg and had their left leg operated on. At other times, surgical instruments have been left inside the patient’s body.