Common Examples of Medical Malpractice

The Villages Medical Malpractice Law Firm

When you receive medical treatment, the hope is that you feel better from your previous illness or ailment. Mistakes and negligence, however, can leave you in worse health than before you sought the assistance of medical professionals. When you suffer as a result of medical assistance, you need legal representation from the The Villages medical malpractice law firm of Whittel and Melton.

Common Examples of Medical Malpractice

While not every medical mistake constitutes a case of malpractice, typical events that can lead to a medical malpractice claim include:

Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis

Misdiagnosis occurs when a doctor fails to diagnose the correct illness after examining a patient. The physician either incorrectly determines that the patient has no discernible illness or diagnoses the patient with an illness that he or she does not have.

Delayed diagnosis occurs when a doctor fails to make a correct diagnosis after examination at the outset, but eventually does correctly diagnose the patient, albeit too late for the patient to receive the full benefits of an initial correct diagnosis.

The result of a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is that a patient either does not get timely treatment for an illness or receives unnecessary treatment. Either situation could have severe repercussions for the patient.

Surgical Errors

Errors that occur during surgery – regardless of whether the surgery is considered medically necessary or elective – can form the basis for a medical malpractice claim. Some situations that can give rise to a claim of negligence due to surgical error include:

• Performing the incorrect procedure
• Performing an unnecessary procedure
• Leaving surgical tools or instruments inside of the patient
• Failure to provide proper postoperative recovery instructions
• Damage to organs, nerves, tissues or blood vessels around the surgical site
• Operating under non-sterile conditions

Anesthesia Errors

Many people think anesthesia is something that is administered only during surgery. While anesthesia is certainly used during surgical procedures, there are other instances where anesthesia is regularly administered by healthcare professionals to patients.

Anesthesia errors can occur during surgery, during pre-op procedures, and in the recovery room. Anesthesia errors are also common when dental work is being performed. Anesthesia can be dangerous, even deadly, if not administered properly.

Medication Errors

Errors in prescribing or administering medication can lead to patient harm. When the error is the result of a healthcare practitioner’s negligence, it could give rise to a medical malpractice claim. Some typical types of medication errors are:

• Overprescribing a particular medication, including overprescribing addictive pharmaceuticals such as opioids
• Prescribing or administering the wrong dose of a medication
• Failure to take patient’s history before prescribing medication
• Administering the wrong drug to the patient

Birth Injuries

Negligence on the part of physicians and other healthcare providers during the birth of a child is perhaps the most heartbreaking form of medical malpractice. While not all mistakes give rise to a claim of negligence, some examples of birth injury negligence are:

• Failing to take proper notice and action in cases of fetal distress
• Using delivery aid tools improperly
• Failing to perform a C-section when necessary
• Failing to properly monitor both mother and baby

Emergency Room Errors

Emergency rooms are some of the busiest areas in a hospital. Sadly, many hospital ERs are not staffed properly and communication can be insufficient or nonexistent which only increases the odds of medication errors or misdiagnosis. If you or a loved one has been admitted to the hospital and suffered from medical negligence, then we advise you to speak with us right away. Were you harmed at UF Health The Villages Hospital, AdventHealth in The Villages, Select Specialty Hospital The Villages, or any other healthcare facility in the surrounding area? Call our Villages Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Whittel & Melton today at 352-369-5334 to learn more about how we may be able to help you.

Medical Product Malfunctions

Medical devices – such as filters designed to prevent blood clots or pacemakers designed to regulate the heartbeat — can be faulty, causing injury to patients. Often these types of injuries occur years after the device was implanted in the patient’s body.

If the manufacturer knew or should have known that the device was defective, this could give rise to recovery for damages under either a medical malpractice case or a medical product liability case, depending on the particular facts at issue. The Villages medical malpractice attorney can assess your situation and advise you whether and how to proceed with a claim for damages caused by a malfunctioning medical device.

When in Doubt, Contact The Villages Medical Malpractice Law Firm

Don’t let uncertainty prevent you from contacting an attorney if you suspect you have a medical malpractice claim. Contact The Villages Medical Malpractice Law Firm of Whittel and Melton for a free consultation.