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Top 5 Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is something that everyone should take seriously. According to John Hopkins University School of Medicine, 250,000 to 440,000 Americans die yearly from a medical error. 

Medical malpractice can cause irreparable damage to you or a loved one. It occurs when a healthcare professional provides less than quality care, resulting in injury, harm, or in the worst cases, death. 

It can be horrifying to face the consequences of medical malpractice alone. If you or a loved one has been a victim of medical malpractice, contact Karasik Law Group today for a consultation.

Top 5 Medical Malpractice Cases

There are many different types of medical malpractice. They can range anywhere from a misdiagnosis to an error in surgery. Whichever type of medical malpractice you have experienced, you should know you are not alone.

Misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis is the most common type of medical malpractice. It can prolong the process of getting the proper treatment, sometimes leading to critical conditions. Suffering from a misdiagnosis can lead to severe complications and even death.

According to BMJ journals published research, 12 million people are affected by diagnostic errors each year. With that, healthcare professionals need to take care to make the most accurate diagnosis they can when dealing with patients.

Surgical Errors

There are significant risks to any surgery, even routine ones that surgeons perform daily. Errors commonly happen when there is a miscommunication between the surgical team members. Not all surgical errors are life-threatening, but any harm done by a surgical team would be considered medical malpractice.

Failure to Treat

A failure to treat happens when a healthcare professional fails to diagnose the problem that you’re having, leading to a lack of treatment for your health concerns. It could be due to several reasons. In cases of dismissal or an inability to take your concerns seriously, this can lead to serious harm. Medical professionals should always take patients seriously to diagnose and treat problems with health properly.

Birth Injuries

A failure to meet the minimum standard of care throughout childbirth can lead to a type of medical malpractice that many suffer from. Some birth injuries that can occur due to medical negligence can be traumatic, sometimes fatal, and life-threatening. 

Birth injuries include:

• Brain damage
• Intraventricular hemorrhage
• Newborn cephalohematoma
• Skull fractures
• Intrauterine fetal demise
• Kernicterus
• Newborn jaundice

Suppose you or a loved one has suffered the effects of injuries due to medical malpractice throughout the birthing process. In that case, you should seek legal help from a medical malpractice attorney to help you with compensation.

Prescription Drug Errors:

There are a few different reasons an error with prescription drugs could be considered medical malpractice. A wrong medication could go hand in hand with the type of medical malpractice that involves misdiagnosis. It could be harmful or even kill a patient.

In addition to the incorrect medication, a doctor could prescribe the incorrect dosage. It could also be harmful and hurt you more than it could help. A patient might also be given a medication they are allergic to if a medical professional is not careful to ask the right questions before prescribing a medication.

Medical malpractice comes in many different forms. Prescription drug errors could result from negligence or incompetence and might qualify you for compensation.

How a Medical Malpractice Attorney Can Help with the Top 5 Medical Malpractice Cases

You could be entitled to compensation if you or a loved one has suffered from medical malpractice. You should seek the help of a medical malpractice lawyer to see what you might be eligible for.

It can be overwhelming to face a problem like this alone. You should know that you are not alone in whatever you are going through, and attorneys are available to help you get through this difficult time.

If you are in need of legal assistance, you should contact Leading Law Firm Karasik Law Group for a Free Consultation today. You should not have to navigate medical malpractice on your own. If you or a loved one have experienced any of these types of medical malpractice, you should reach out to get help from a professional as soon as possible.