Doctors and other healthcare professionals are held to a high standard. They are expected to diagnose and treat patients to the best of their abilities. Behavior that falls below the expected standard in the medical field can amount to medical malpractice.
In medical malpractice claims, negligence is the key factor. What are some of the most common examples of medical negligence?
Failure to diagnose
Diagnosis is the first step of medical treatment. Doctors have to diagnose a condition accurately before they can treat it. The diagnostic process may involve a series of consultations, tests and referrals. Some conditions are more difficult to diagnose than others, but doctors have to be thorough and arrive at the appropriate conclusions. Failure to carry out the appropriate tests or refer patients to a specialist for diagnosis could amount to medical negligence.
Wrong medications
In some cases, the best form of treatment may be prescription medication. However, medication is only effective if the right type is administered. If a doctor prescribes the wrong medication, this can do a patient more harm than good, and it may also constitute medical negligence.
Surgical errors
Surgical knowledge and technology have increased dramatically in recent years, but surgeons still have to be very careful. Firstly, all surgical equipment must be sterilized. Surgeons must also be competent in the procedure that they have been instructed to carry out. While relatively rare, wrong-site surgery and foreign objects being left in a patient are surgical errors that do happen.
If your condition has been worsened by medical negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Seeking more legal information will give you a better idea of whether or not you have a valid medical malpractice claim.