Healthcare professionals work tirelessly to diagnose and treat illnesses properly, aiming to improve the lives of many patients. Unfortunately, complications and human error can happen. When these mistakes cross the line into negligence and cause a patient harm, it can be considered medical malpractice.
What is medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare professional makes a careless mistake or decision that falls below the expected standard of care. This can manifest in many ways including the following:
- Misdiagnosis: Failure to identify a medical condition promptly, leading to delayed treatment and potentially worsening the patient’s condition
- Surgical errors: Leaving surgical instruments inside the patient, operating on the wrong body part or performing a procedure with avoidable complications
- Medication errors: Prescribing unsafe or incorrect medication, administering the wrong dosage or failing to consider potential allergic reactions
- Failure to monitor a patient’s condition: Ignoring crucial signs and symptoms that could indicate a developing complication
- Birth injuries: Negligence during childbirth causing harm to the mother or newborn baby
Medical malpractice is a serious offense as the consequences may include severe injuries or death. It may also cause financial burdens, psychological trauma to the patients and a strain on the healthcare system.
What kind of compensation is at stake?
There are two types of recoverable damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity and other out-of-pocket costs. Non-economic damage aims to compensate for intangible losses such as pain, suffering and mental anguish.
Should I file a complaint?
Do you think you are a potential victim of medical malpractice? If the error resulted from a preventable mistake due to the healthcare provider’s negligence, you may seek legal professionals to assess the situation and explore the legal grounds for a claim.
