Examples of Medical Malpractice Leading to Severe, Permanent Injuries

It’s understandable to expect expert-level help and care from medical experts. Whether you seek treatment in a hospital, physician’s office, or urgent care facility, you place a certain amount of trust in medical professionals. Unfortunately, some people needing medical attention end up as medical malpractice victims.

Any preventable serious or permanent injury caused by malpractice is one too many. In this post, you’ll learn about examples of medical malpractice that often lead to permanent or severe injuries.

Not all lawyers handle medical malpractice cases. If you or someone you love experienced a severe or permanent injury resulting from medical malpractice, you’ll need attorney’s who have devoted years perfecting the knowledge and skills needed to fight for the rights of medical malpractice victims. Hodges & Foty’s attorneys are here to help you address medical malpractice cases which led to severe or permanent injuries.

WHAT IS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE?

Doctors, nurses, surgeons, and many other medical professionals must follow fiduciary duties. These standards acknowledge that the average patient knows less about the medical field. Because of that, patients trust that medical experts are making the best decisions.

When someone in the medical field deviates from recognized medical standards, they often commit medical malpractice.

4 SEVERE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE EXAMPLES

Medical malpractice can happen in many ways. Here’s more information about the most common medical malpractice claims leading to severe or permanent injuries.

1. Failure to Diagnose or Misdiagnose

One of the most crucial aspects of receiving medical care is getting a diagnosis. A medical expert’s diagnosis lets patients know what they’re dealing with and how to cure or control it. Unfortunately, misdiagnoses are more common than you might think. CNN recently reported that about 7 million people in the U.S. receive the wrong diagnoses annually.

This example of medical malpractice usually happens in one of two ways: A medical expert fails to diagnose an ailment you have or doesn’t diagnose one you do.

Example: You seek medical attention for occasional face numbness and dizzy spells. The doctor fails to give you a diagnosis. Several days later, you suffer a stroke because a medical professional ignored a stroke’s warning signs.

2. Anesthesia Errors

Anesthesiologists play a vital role during procedures, ensuring patients receive just enough anesthesia. This form of medication can numb part of the body while relaxing patients, sometimes to the point of unconsciousness. While this person plays a helpful role before surgeries, anesthesia-related errors are some of the most common medical malpractice claims.

It’s rare for two patients to have the same body. Because of that, each person can require different amounts of anesthesia. A few examples of medical malpractice involving anesthesia can occur when an anesthesiologist gives a patient too little or too much pain and body-numbing medication.

Example: You develop severe appendicitis and need your appendix removed. Before surgery begins, an anesthesiologist gives you too much anesthesia. While you’re under, a lack of oxygen causes you to have a stroke.

3. Prescription-Related Mistakes

According to a recent poll, about 60% of U.S. adults take at least one prescription medication. It’s also common for people to take multiple medications. Some medications can help you enjoy life free from pain and side effects. In other cases, a doctor can prescribe medicines that patients won’t benefit from.

Another one of the most common medical malpractice claims involves drug interactions. Sometimes, mixing medications results in nothing more than minor and temporary discomfort. In other situations, dangerous drug combinations can cause severe and permanent injuries.

Example: You have a condition that causes seizures. Your doctor calls in the wrong prescription. After taking this medicine, you have a severe seizure with no way to treat it.

4. Surgical Errors

Other medical malpractice examples can involve errors during surgeries. Unfortunately, surgical errors can happen in several ways, including:

• Wrong site surgery: Receiving surgery on the wrong part of your body
• Wrong patient surgery: Undergoing a surgical procedure meant for someone else
• Wrong procedure: Going through an unnecessary surgical procedure

Example: You need to receive surgery to remove a tumor from your left arm. Due to a surgical error, the surgeon accidentally confuses you with another patient requiring an amputation.

CONTACT A TEAM OF EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS

Life’s many illnesses and ailments take time and effort to recover from. However, the aftermath of medical malpractice can last a lifetime. You deserve a law firm that stands up for medical malpractice victims and survivors. Hodges & Foty has over 50 years of combined experience helping clients nationwide obtain over $100 million through settlements and verdicts.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation. Our firm will listen to the details of your claim, letting you know if you have a legitimate case.