Medical malpractice can result from a negligent or careless act by any medical professional or healthcare provider or institution. Medical malpractice can also be the result of the failure to take the appropriate action or supply the proper care that should be administered by a medical professional in any given medical situation or healthcare that deviates from accepted standards of medical care and/or practice.
Any medical care or lack thereof that causes injury to the patient is medical negligence and can include anything from wrong diagnosis or misdiagnosis to emergency room errors or wrong site surgery. Another area of medicine where medical malpractice occurs is in the application of anesthesia and complications stemming from overdose or adverse reactions.
A medical malpractice is not limited to diagnosis and treatment errors in standard medicine. It can also occur in dentistry and for many of the same reasons.
Some common types of medical malpractice may include:
- Wrongful Death
- Surgical Errors
- Medication Errors
- Medical negligence
- Wrong diagnosis
- Emergency room errors
Medical malpractice can affect a victim for the rest of his/her life and can carry insurmountable medical expenses and physical limitations.
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), medical errors can happen during even the most routine tasks, such as when a hospital patient on a salt-free diet is given a high-salt meal. The site also offers tips on how a patient can help avoid medicla errors.
Medical malpractice or medical errors occur when something that was planned as a part of medical care does not play out according to plan. Medical malpractice or medical errors can also occur as part of a faulty plan from the beginning or its inception.
The AHRQ notes that medical errors can take place anywhere in the health care system or in the course of any medical treatment plan including:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Outpatient Surgery Centers
- Doctors' Offices
- Nursing Homes
- Pharmacies
- Patients' Homes
The AHRQ acknowledges that medical errors can involve:
- Medicines
- Surgery
- Diagnosis
- Equipment
- Lab reports
If you know someone that has been a victim of any type of medical malpractice, you should contact a personal injury attorney experienced in medical malpractice cases. A personal injury attorney can help the victims of medical malpractice recover damages and treatment cost incurred from the negligence or carelessness of a medical professional.
