Doctors and nurses are well-educated, however, that doesn’t mean they are always correct or always competent. Medical malpractice happens when a doctor does (or doesn’t do) something during the treatment of a patient that deviates from the accepted norms and practices in the medical community, and this professional negligence causes injury to the patient. In fact, approximately 250,000 Americans each year die from medical errors according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. This statistic actually makes medical error the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Some examples of medical malpractice could include misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis. For instance, a patient who goes to the doctor with a concern about a lump in the breast, but the doctor fails to test for cancer, might have a case for medical malpractice if he or she develops cancer and loses a breast or dies from the disease because a delay in diagnosis could be a contributing factor to the outcome. A patient who is treated for stomach pain which turns out to be appendicitis, might have a case of misdiagnosis when they return to the hospital in shock and severely ill, or worse, deceased.
Medical malpractice lawsuits work to make sure that the victim, or victim’s family is compensated—monetarily—for serious injury or death due to medical errors. Even more important than monetary compensation is holding doctors or those in the medical community accountable for their actions or inactions. Medical malpractice attorneys and personal injury attorneys have the experience and knowledge needed to win medical error cases. Personal injury attorneys will find and follow the evidence needed to win the case and hold the medical professional and medical facility accountable for their mistakes. If you believe you’ve experienced a medical error that has negatively affected your life and health, contact the attorneys at Lee Gurney and see if we can help.