Common Medical Malpractice Suits

Medical malpractice suits can be brought against a doctor or a hospital if the health care provider(s) are negligent in the level of care provided. To prove malpractice, the patient must prove that a reasonable doctor or hospital would have provided a higher standard of care than the doctor in question provided. If the doctor's level of care fell below a reasonable level, he can be considered negligent and liable for any damages that are caused by his negligence.

Common Examples of Medical Malpractice

While medical malpractice suits can arise from any number of cases or situations wherein a doctor or hospital was negligent, there are certain types of common cases that appear often. Some examples of common situations giving rise to medical malpractice suits include:

Misdiagnosis: If a reasonable doctor would have diagnosed your illness and your doctor didn't, your doctor can be liable for any injury you can prove resulted from the fact that you weren't diagnosed properly
Medication errors: A lot can go wrong when a doctor is prescribing pills or when a hospital is dishing out medication. If your doctor misses the fact that two drugs he is prescribing will interact badly or if the hospital gives you an improper dose of your medical leading to injury, both of these things can be examples of medical malpractice
Wrong site surgery: If you were supposed to have your right toe amputated and your doctor amputated your left toe, this is an example of surgery that has occurred at the wrong site. It is also an example of medical malpractice
Birth errors: Obstetricians have some of the highest medical malpractice insurance of any physicians. This is because there are so many things that can go wrong during child birth. From failure to note that the baby was breach to a botched cesarean section to excessive use of the forceps causing damage to the baby, there are a number of possible forms of medical malpractice that can occur during birth
Surgical instruments being left inside the patient. This too is a clear example of malpractice. If your doctor leaves an instrument inside you when he is operating, this is almost always considered to be negligent.

Getting Help

If you have been the victim of a medical error or suffered as a result of your doctor's negligence, you should consult with an experienced medical malpractice attorney. Your attorney can provide you with detailed information on what you have to prove to recover for your medical malpractice injuries and can help evaluate the strength of your case to determine what damages you may be able to recover.

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