We trust our lives to those in the medical field on a daily basis. Be it for urgent needs, health updates, or even just yearly checkups. But when a doctor fails to put your care at the forefront, you may suffer a serious injury, harm, or even death. If you have been a victim of medical negligence, here’s what you need to know.
What are the major forms?
We often think that medical negligence only happens in emergency situations like the operating room. However, medical negligence is more common than we realize. There are six forms of medical negligence that you need to know.
- Misdiagnosis: It is estimated that every year, 12 million Americans receive a misdiagnosis by their medical provider. Often the negligence occurs when the doctor performs an exam on a patient but does not give the proper diagnosis. This can lead to a lawsuit because an ill patient may not receive the care he or she needs or conversely, a healthy patient may receive treatments that are not actually needed, causing harm. Not all misdiagnosis cases are with negligence which is why you need to meet with an experienced attorney.
- Delayed Diagnosis: Similar to misdiagnosis, a delayed diagnosis occurs when a doctor does not correctly diagnose a patient the first time, however, eventually is able to diagnose him or her. The negligence occurs when the doctor had not taken all measures to give tests or assessments which would have lead to an earlier diagnosis, and not caused extended harm.
- Failure to Treat: When a patient is given a proper diagnosis, but not the proper treatment to manage or treat the illness, this is known as failure to treat. This often occurs when doctors are seeing too many patients in one day, making the interaction rushed.
- Surgical Error: When you are placed on the operating table, you expect the surgeon to practice the utmost care. But when the procedure is not done correctly, or tools have not been sterilized for patient safety, illness and death may occur. It is estimated that 400 surgical errors occur each year.
- Birth Injury: Birth injuries can often be devastating, not only for the newborn but for the expecting parents. Some of the most common birth injuries are Cerebral Palsy, facial paralysis, oxygen deprivation, and bone fractures. This type of injury can occur during delivery or during prenatal care.
- Medical Product Liability: While not necessarily a surgeon or doctor’s failure, medical product liability occurs when a manufactured device is faulty, leading to injury, illness, or even death. Common medical product liability cases involve joint replacements, surgical mesh, walking aids, etc.
But when medical negligence occurs, you or a loved one may be suffering. And that cannot stand. You cannot let the harm continue.
Scranton Medical Negligence Attorney: Kalinoski Law Offices, P.C.
If you or a loved one is a victim of medical negligence in any of the above forms, do not hesitate to reach out to the Scranton personal injury attorney Craig Kalinoski. Attorney Kalinoski will review the facts of your case and bring justice back to your family. The physical trauma may have already occurred, but you can still bring justice forward. Contact Kalinoski Law Offices, P.C. today for a free consultation.