Medical malpractice lawsuits are usually very complex and often require the testimony of medical experts and representation of experienced attorneys. These are cases where a plaintiff claims that he or she suffered an injury because of the negligence of a doctor, medical facility or medical staff. Because there are a number of different types of patients, doctors, facilities and treatments, there are different types of medical malpractice cases. Here are four types of medical malpractice that are commonly brought against doctors and hospitals.
1. Misdiagnoses, surgical malpractice and failed procedures: This is the most common type of medical malpractice. When a doctor fails to diagnose a patient properly or makes an error during surgery or a procedure, these mistakes are usually very visible to the patient and his or her family.
2. Hospital negligence: In many cases, a medical malpractice lawsuit is filed when a mistake is made by a member of the hospital medical staff or a hospital policy ends up leading to medical malpractice. An example would be when one person’s chart is mixed up with another person’s.
3. Patient confidentiality: Medical records are supposed to be confidential. If a doctor or a hospital doesn’t keep your medical information confidential, then there may be enough evidence for a medical malpractice claim or for invasion of privacy.
4. Birth injuries: Even with the advances in medicine, there are still an alarming number of children with birth injuries. The birth injuries may be caused by a doctor, nurse or other medical staff member.
If you have been injured because of medical malpractice or negligence, an attorney can help you determine what your next steps should be for seeking compensation.
Source: FindLaw, “Types of Medical Malpractice Lawsuits,” George Khoury, accessed June 09, 2017