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Medical Malpractice (Med Mal) is generally defined as the failure of healthcare professionals (doctors, surgeons, nurses, psychologist, etc.) to render the level of care, skill and treatment which is recognized as acceptable medical standards.. The level and type of care is a departure from accepted medical standard. In other words, the care is below the standard of what other doctors or hospitals would provide.
An unacceptable standard of medical practices is one of the Nation’s leading causes of death and injury. A recent report by the Institute of Medicine estimates that as many as 90,000 to 100,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year as the result of negligence. This means that more people die from healthcare negligence than from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer or AIDS.
The most common malpractice is a mistaken diagnosis, a wrong type of treatment, delayed treatment or lack of treatment. Sometimes, even if a correct diagnosis is made, the physician does not follow a proper course of treatment.
Surgical errors are also common. Anesthesia reactions and problems cause many deaths and injuries each year. The failure to properly monitor a patient during and after surgery is another common error.
Occasionally, sponges, surgical instruments and other foreign matter are left inside patients. These objects have caused complications and even death in many instances. Obstetrical malpractice can lead to serious injuries in the infant. These are just some of the more common errors, but there are many other types of medical malpractices.
Each situation is unique to itself. There are many factors in play that have to be taken into consideration in totality. Two professionals, similarly trained, may reasonably differ in the treatment for similar symptoms. In general, for a claim of Medical Malpractice to be valid, there are four conditions that usually must be met.
- A provider-patient relationship existed.
- Negligent care was rendered.
- Patient suffered serious damage or harm.
- The damage/harm was a direct result of negligent care.
The Institute of Medicine’s report estimates that more than half of the adverse medical events occurring each year are due to preventable medical errors. These errors cause tens of thousands of deaths. The cost associated with these errors in lost income, disability, and health care costs may be as much as $29 billion annually. The consequences of medical mistakes (death or disability rather than just inconvenience) are often more severe than the consequences of mistakes in other industries. A life or the quality of life may hang in the balance.
What to do if you or a loved one has been harmed by Medical Malpractice.
Medical Malpractice cases are accepted on a contingency basis. You only pay us when we recover compensation on your behalf. We have the expertise and resources to get you justice!
