Injuries due to medical negligence are the third leading cause of death in the United States after cancer and heart disease. Family members who suffer the loss of a loved one due to a medical error can seek compensation for their losses, such as lost wages for the death of the breadwinner and compensation for their grief. Medical malpractice encompasses several issues that can profoundly affect patients. Common concerns include misdiagnosis, surgical errors, medication errors, and inadequate treatment.
These problems can have serious consequences, such as prolonged suffering, worsening medical conditions, financial burdens from additional medical expenses, and emotional distress. Patients affected by medical malpractice may also struggle to obtain adequate compensation and seek justice for their ordeal. A common example of negligence in healthcare is misdiagnosis. Either way, it prevents the patient from getting the care they need.
However, not all cases of misdiagnosis rise to the level of medical negligence. Malpractice only applies when another doctor with a comparable educational background and in a similar treatment situation would have made the diagnosis that the current doctor could not make and the patient suffered harm as a result of the misdiagnosis. Another common medical error is a delay in diagnosis. In this situation, the doctor may make an incorrect diagnosis at first, but over time make the right one. To be sued for a late diagnosis, a doctor must have acted less competently than other medical professionals.
To speak with a medical malpractice attorney in the state of New Mexico, call (57) 523-4444 to review your case for free with Poulos & Coates. Contact our office or call (57) 523-4444 today to schedule an initial consultation and learn more about how we can help. Many malpractice lawsuits arise because of medical errors, such as a misdiagnosis, surgical errors, and inadequate administration of medications. If you have been a victim of medical malpractice, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible.
According to Healthline, more than 12 million people suffer some form of misdiagnosis in the United States each year. Bringing home a newborn is supposed to be a joyous time for parents, but avoidable injuries during childbirth can quickly erode joy. Birth injuries can occur as a result of medical negligence on the part of a health professional during pregnancy, childbirth and the birth. The lack of treatment for a patient often goes hand in hand with a misdiagnosis or a lack of diagnosis.
However, in other cases, the lack of treatment is the result of an intentional decision by a doctor. Doctors who do not treat their patients can worsen their condition, and in some cases, a lack of treatment leads to serious injury or even death. In addition, doctors may prescribe an incorrect dosage of a medication to a patient, which can have disastrous results, such as side effects and harmful reactions. Medication errors also occur when a doctor doesn't obtain a complete patient history or doesn't review the patient's history before writing a new prescription.
Surgical errors are especially dangerous for patients because, in some cases, it can take days, weeks, or months for the patient to have symptoms. Meanwhile, your body is struggling and is likely to suffer more damage from the error, and correcting the error usually requires at least one more surgery. A recent study focused on the frequency and nature of anesthesia errors and found that errors in administering medications were the most common. In fact, 1 in 211 surgical patients experience an error in administering the drug.
Researchers found that the most common types of anesthesia errors are those where anesthesiologists administer the wrong dose or medication, or inadequate administration due to lack of experience, administration of unlabeled syringes, mislabeled syringes, and misuse of the pump. Diagnosis is the basis of medications and patient care, which is probably also the reason why diagnostic errors are the most common type of medical error that leads to medical malpractice lawsuits. A lawyer specializing in medical malpractice can navigate the legal system and increase the chances of obtaining fair compensation for your injuries and related damages. Medical malpractice can occur in any healthcare environment when the negligent act or omission of a medical professional causes harm to a patient.
Lack of treatment is a type of medical negligence that occurs when a healthcare professional fails to provide appropriate treatment to a patient or fails to do so. However, studies have demonstrated which incidents occur frequently enough to stand out as the most common causes of negligence lawsuits against doctors. The time it will take to resolve a medical malpractice case varies depending on the complexity of the case, the number of defendants involved, the willingness of the parties to reach an agreement, and a wide range of other factors. To prove medical negligence, you'll usually have to submit all the evidence you can gather, such as medical records, expert testimony, photographs of injuries, a damage record, and other relevant documentation.
Find figures that detail the prevalence of medical malpractice among different demographics, the most common types of claims, and more. Medical malpractice cases are extremely complex, and health care providers and their insurers are often well prepared to defend themselves against such claims. One of the most common reasons for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is diagnostic errors, such as misdiagnosis and late diagnosis. There are potentially many forms of medical malpractice, and any medical professional or institution can be sued for negligence.
Cancer, which responds best to early medical intervention, is often the basis of a malpractice lawsuit for late diagnosis. If you suspect that you or a loved one is a victim of medical negligence, it's critical that you immediately speak to an experienced New Mexico medical malpractice attorney at Poulos & Coates.
