According to a recent study, which was published by the John Hopkins Hospital, medical negligence and malpractice contributed to over 250,000 deaths annually in the United States in 2019. This makes it the third-highest cause of death in the country.
Given the advancements in medical science and technology, we do not expect so many people to lose their lives. However, many doctors, healthcare professionals and medical establishments are guilty of pursuing profits and revenues. This makes them sometimes take medical decisions, which are contrary to ethical practices.
In this article, we are going to look at five different types of cases, which can arise because of medical negligence. However, before we do, let us first look at some reasons why medical negligence arises in the first place.
Major Causes of Medical Negligence and Malpractice
As we have already stated, the drive towards securing more revenues and profits gives rise to a number of problems. This means that doctors and staff at establishments are forced to offer fast and speedy processes to patients. This can sometimes lead to complications and give rise to unethical practices.
There are times when a breakdown in communication between different professionals within the organization leads to disastrous results for patients. Sometimes doctors also end up treating patients, which lie beyond their expertise. They do this in the hopes of getting a diagnosis fee.
Another major problem in the health industry concerns the nexus between the different kinds of operations. Doctors are sometimes on the payroll of pharma companies and get major kickbacks for prescribing a specific set of medicines. The same continues with hospitals and diagnostic centers.
All the above reasons stated above can lead to medical negligence and malpractice. If proven, medical professionals can lose their licenses, face suspensions and pay hefty compensation amounts.
List of 5 Different Types Of Medical Negligence You Can File Compensations
1. Misdiagnosis-
Proper diagnosis is probably the first and most important step in terms of starting treatments. Unless a patient has been properly diagnosed for the illness or the ailment, his or her treatment cannot start. Many of the medical negligence cases arise because doctors misdiagnose patients and start a treatment plan, which adversely affects their health.
2. Postponed Diagnosis-
Like misdiagnosis, delayed or postponed diagnosis can also cause serious injuries or even death in patients. For example, if a doctor takes too long in finding out what is wrong with a patient, it can lead to a deterioration in the condition or even cause death. It has been seen that doctors who are overloaded with work and cases are most responsible for dealing with the diagnosis.
3. Errors in Surgery-
How often have we heard in the news that doctors left surgical equipment inside a patient and sewed the surgery section? Surgical errors are more common than you might think. Leaving objects behind, operating on the wrong area, causing unintentional damage to an organ are quite routine medical negligence issues.
4. Improper Anaesthesia Application-
Every surgery requires the application of an anaesthesia to a patient. It depends on the nature of the surgery- whether local anesthesia would be sufficient or a complete one. An anesthesiologist is a specialist who studies the medical history of a patient before administering the same. Medical negligence cases arise because of improper administration.
5. Pointless Surgery-
Many times it has been found that hospitals and doctors want to inflate the medical bills of patients. To do this, they prescribe surgery for issues, which can easily be dealt with by a modest and conservative traditional approach. Using the Operation Theatre is a good enough expenditure and hospitals want to ensure that patients end up going through surgery.
The Final Word
If you or someone you know has been affected by medical negligence you should file a personal injury lawsuit claiming compensation and put effort in choosing the right medical negligence solicitors. This is why you should look for personal injury attorney practice areas where they specialize in medical negligence and malpractice cases. This will help not only you but others in the society who have also suffered because of a hospital’s or professional’s error.
