Believe it or not, medical malpractice is more common in the United States than you might think. According to a study by John Hopkins, medical malpractice claims the lives of over 250,000 Americans each year.
The only two things that claim more U.S lives each year are heart disease and cancer, the two leading causes of death. It’s a scary thought to think that these medical malpractice cases claim nearly as many lives every year as two of the most deadly diseases known to man.
If you are curious about whether you have encountered medical malpractice in your life, keep reading this guide to learn the most common medical malpractice cases and what they entail.
1. Prescribed Incorrect Prescription Drugs
Prescription drugs are not something to be messed with. They are prescribed by medical professionals and are uniquely tailored for the specific user in terms of dosage.
When the drugs are incorrectly prescribed, it can have serious implications on patients. Most individuals are not trained to know the differences in prescriptions and can end up taking the wrong dosage or even the wrong drug entirely.
2. Misdiagnosis
One of the most common types of medical malpractice claims is the patient being misdiagnosed or having a delayed diagnosis. If the patient is misdiagnosed with a disease, it can be a serious threat to them as they may not receive the right treatment in time.
According to recent information, medical misdiagnosis is, unfortunately, a common phenomenon, with around 1 in every 20 adult patients receiving the wrong diagnosis, or about 12 million people.
3. Surgical Errors
Going into surgery can be nerve-wracking enough, let alone the thought of having an error occur during your surgery. Several things can go wrong during surgery:
- Wrong incision site
- Wrong surgery
- Or things left behind
If something like this occurs during surgery, it’s best to contact medical malpractice attorneys to make sure you are taken care of properly.
4. Failure to Treat
We go to the doctors for a reason – to be treated and eventually feel better. But, in some instances, the medical professional may fail to treat the condition.
When this occurs, it can worsen the illness or condition and leave the patient in a worse state than when they were looking to be treated.
5. Injury at Childbirth
Childbirth is one of the last places you would expect to see medical malpractice cases, but they do still occur quite frequently. Several things could be considered malpractice:
- Injury to the child
- Injury to the mother
- Fetal distress
There are so many stages of childbirth that malpractice could occur, making it one of the most common types of malpractice.
6. Anestethia Error
Administering anesthesia is a challenging task for medical professionals at times. It’s common for patients to receive anesthesia, but doctors that give too much or too little of the drug can be held responsible. If an error occurred or you sustained injuries, you may have a medical malpractice claim.
Medical Malpractice: Has it Happened to You
With medical malpractice occurring relatively frequently in the United States, it may happen to you or someone you know. When this occurs, it’s important to handle it as quickly as possible to avoid any delays. Contacting an attorney will be a good idea to help navigate you through the process.
If you are looking to learn more about medical malpractice and other interesting topics, check out the rest of our blog!
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