4 Frequently Filed Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice occurs when a hospital, doctor, or other health care professional or facility, through negligent act or omission, causes injury to a patient. Negligence might result from diagnosis, treatment, aftercare, or health management errors.

For a claim to be considered medical malpractice, the following must exist:

1. A standard of care was owed to the patient.
2. A violation of the standard of care occurred.
3. The violation caused an injury.
4. The injury resulted in significant damage.

A patient’s dissatisfaction with the treatment outcome does not qualify as medical malpractice. Medical malpractice is only present when there is a violation of the standard of care, injury, and evidence that the violation caused the injury.

4 Common Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

The healthcare field is ever-expanding, and as such, so are the ways in which medical malpractice can occur. The following are common medical malpractice lawsuits:

1. Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis are common medical malpractice complaints. Cancer and heart failure are two conditions that are commonly missed or misdiagnosed, resulting in the patient being unable to take preventative measures early on and potentially suffering fatal injuries as a result.
2. Surgery Errors can either result from negligence on the surgeon’s end or negligence by the nursing staff during postoperative care. For example, a surgeon might operate on the wrong body part or leave surgical equipment inside the body during surgery. Or, the nursing staff might give patients the wrong medication or fail to give patients adequate aftercare instructions.
3. Childbirth Injuries tend to be especially severe due to the fragility of fetuses, newborns, and the mother. Conditions such as brain injuries, fractured bones, or paralysis can result from injury to the newborn during the birth process. Failure to be aware of birth complications due to the mother’s medical condition can also result in several catastrophic outcomes for the mother and child.
4. Medication Errors can occur in various ways, whether a doctor inappropriately administers a drug, fails to catch or notify the patient of harmful interactions, or gives the wrong medication to the wrong patient.

Ori Law Group: Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Chicago

When handling a medical malpractice case, our clients are not charged unless a recovery is made. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury that you believe was caused by the errors of a hospital, doctor, nurse, or employee of a medical provider, contact us today.

Call our firm today at 312-985-0299 for a free consultation or fill out this short form.