Common Causes of Malpractice Litigation

The process of bringing a malpractice lawsuit is a complex procedure. If a patient is able to prove four elements, malpractice lawsuit it will be able to determine whether or not the error is malpractice. These are professional obligations in breach of this duty; a loss resulting from this breach; and quantifiable damages.

Plaintiffs must prove these elements through evidence such as expert testimony, depositions, and discovery.

Misdiagnosis or Failure to Diagnose

Failure to diagnose an injury or illness correctly can lead to serious complications, or death. The misdiagnosis of a patient is a frequent cause of medical negligence. To show negligence, the patient or their lawyer must prove that a skilled doctor in similar circumstances would not have misdiagnosed an illness.

It is not always a case of an error, but. Even highly skilled and experienced doctors can make errors. Therefore, a claim of malpractice must be backed up by other elements, such as breach, proximate cause or actual injury. If a doctor fails to sterilize his equipment prior to giving anesthesia and the patient is infected due to this, he could be liable.

In most cases, lawsuits alleging malpractice will be filed in the state trial court in which the alleged misconduct occurred. However, federal courts might have jurisdiction under limited circumstances. For instance, a lawsuit may be brought in federal court if it is disputes over a statute of limitations or when there is a significant difference in citizenship among the parties in the case. In other cases, certain claims are resolved through binding arbitration that is voluntary. This is a less formal process involving professional decision makers that is designed to reduce costs, expedite legal proceedings and reduce the possibility of excessively generous juries. However, arbitration is not available for all malpractice claims.

Wrong Drug Dosage

Medication errors, also known as medication mistakes, are one of the most frequent causes of medical malpractice lawsuits. They can be the result of a doctor prescribing the wrong medication or delivering the wrong dose to patients. These errors are generally preventable. According to the circumstances, a hospital, its staff, a pharmacist or other health care professionals could be held responsible for the injuries of patients who were given the wrong dosage of a drug.

A doctor can prescribe the wrong medication as a result of a misdiagnosis or simply failing to read the prescription. A health care professional may also administer the incorrect dosage due to a breakdown in communication. For instance nurses might take a doctor's prescription and read it incorrectly or a pharmacist might make an error when filling the prescription. In other instances, the physician may delay delivering the correct medication, which can result in the patient's health getting worse.

To prevail in a malpractice lawsuit, a victim must prove that the medical professional breached their standards of care and that the negligence directly contributed to their injuries. This requires medical expert testimony. Medical malpractice cases also must establish the extent and severity of the victim's injuries. This includes the cost of treatment for the victim as well as any wages lost. Generally, the greater a loss is, the more valuable the claim will be.

Unskillful Procedure

This kind of situation is not uncommon. It might seem unattainable for medical professionals to carry out the wrong procedure on patients however, it is a reality. If a surgeon makes this mistake could be held liable for malpractice. Patients who are injured because of an error malpractice lawsuit in surgery could be held liable for any negligence that occurred during the procedure.

A medical professional accused of malpractice law firm has to prove that the patient was injured due to a specific act, or inability to act. To establish this the legal team representing the patient must prove that (1) the doctor had an obligation to provide care or treatment; (2) that the doctor breached this duty; (3) that there is a direct causal relationship between the breach and the injury; and (4) that the injury results in damages that the legal system is able to deal with.

A breach of duty of care is no meaning unless it results in injury. This is why medical malpractice cases are typically dependent on the lawful doctrine "res ipsa locquitur" which states that certain injuries are so obvious that they can be explained only by negligence.

Depending on the circumstances of the situation, the plaintiff (the patient or their legally appointed representative) or their attorney can bring the case in state or federal court. Most malpractice cases are filed in state court, however under certain circumstances, a medical malpractice lawsuit could be filed in federal district court.

Wrong Surgery

The wrong-site surgery isn't common but it can be considered medical malpractice in the event that the procedure is carried out in the wrong part of your body. This type of error is usually the result of miscommunications between the surgical team or production pressures that result in the surgeon performing multiple surgeries at once. In these cases the surgeon isn't solely responsible for his or her liability for a wrong-site surgery since there is a legal principle called "res ipsa loquitur" which means that the result of the error speaks for itself and cannot be traced to negligence.

When a patient is injured by wrong-site surgery it is possible that he or she will require additional procedures to correct problems caused by the surgical mistake. This results in costly medical bills for patients and their families. It is essential to take these costs into consideration when calculating the financial costs of medical malpractice claims.

Surgeons are typically accountable for surgical errors since they are the ones who are accountable for prepping for the operation and double-checking the patient's medical chart and medical records, coordinating effectively with other members of the medical team, and making sure that the incision is located at the correct location. In some cases, a hospital or anesthesiologist can also be held liable. Medical malpractice claims are generally filed in state court but they may be transferred under certain circumstances to federal court.