What Kinds of Cases Does A Medical Malpractice Lawyer Typically Handle?

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Patients and families may suffer terrible consequences due to medical malpractice. A healthcare provider or facility failing to provide the required standard of care may result in serious injuries or even death. Therefore, in such situations, you will need a medical malpractice attorney to help you navigate the legal system and pursue restitution for your damages. Below are some cases a medical malpractice lawyer handles.

Patients’ Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis

A patient’s misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is one of the most medical negligence claims. When a patient’s disease or injury is not diagnosed correctly or is detected too late, the patient may suffer other injuries.

For instance, a patient with cancer might receive a false diagnosis of a less dangerous condition, which would prevent them from receiving treatment and cause their cancer to develop to a more advanced stage. In this situation, a medical malpractice attorney would try to show that the hospital or healthcare provider didn’t meet the necessary standards of care and that the patient suffered as a result.

Surgical/ Medical accidents

Another common medical negligence complaint is surgical mishaps. These can happen when a patient suffers harm from a surgical error, such as carrying out the incorrect surgery, leaving equipment within the patient, or injuring an organ or nearby tissue.

For instance, a patient having surgery to remove their gallbladder can experience liver damage due to a surgical error. In this situation, a medical malpractice attorney would try to show that the hospital or healthcare provider didn’t meet the necessary standards of care and that the patient suffered as a result.

Birth Injuries

Another form of medical malpractice case that a lawyer can handle involves birth injuries. These can happen if a medical worker makes a mistake or exhibits neglect, resulting in a baby being hurt during childbirth.

For instance, a shortage of oxygen during birth could cause brain injury in a newborn. In such a case, a medical malpractice attorney would try to show that the hospital or healthcare provider didn’t meet the necessary standards of care and that the infant suffered as a result.

Medication Mistakes

Malpractice can also result from medication mistakes. These can happen when a patient suffers injury due to a medication error, such as receiving the incorrect medicine or dosage or receiving a medication they are allergic to.

For instance, patients given the wrong drug dosage to manage their blood pressure may experience dangerous adverse effects. In this situation, a medical malpractice attorney would try to show that the hospital or healthcare provider didn’t meet the necessary standards of care and that the patient suffered as a result.

Failure to Get Informed Consent

When a patient is not adequately informed about the advantages and disadvantages of a procedure before its execution, an injury may result. For instance, patients who have surgery without receiving adequate information on the risks involved may experience serious complications. Therefore, you will need a medical malpractice lawyer to establish that the hospital or healthcare provider fell short of the required level of care.

Summary

Medical malpractice happens when a healthcare provider or setting fails to meet the required standard of care, endangering the patient. Therefore, due to the complexity involved, an experienced medical malpractice attorney must guide patients and families through the legal system to pursue financial reparation for their losses.