Hospitals are designed to treat injuries and illnesses — not cause further harm to patients. Yet medical mistakes occur with surprising frequency. Legally defined, medical malpractice occurs when a doctor fails to show a patient proper medical care and attention, and as a result, that patient suffers injury or illness. Medical malpractice errors can range in severity. While some may be harmless mistakes that go unnoticed, others can be fatal. Below are some of the most common types of medical malpractice accidents.
- Medication mistakes —If you receive the wrong drug, not only will your condition be untreated, you could suffer further harm. In addition, receiving too low or high a dose of the right drug may cause serious harm to a patient (depending on the type of medication).
- Surgical errors — The job of a surgeon requires precision and focus. If fatigued, exhausted or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a surgeon may operate on the wrong part of the body, operate on the wrong patient or leave surgical tools behind inside a patient after a procedure is finished.
- Failure to diagnose — Some diseases, like cancer, require early detection in order for the best prognosis. If a doctor has failed to diagnose your condition, depending on the facts of your case, you may be able to file a claim to collect just compensation.
- Birth delivery mistakes — If a labor physician is overly forceful during delivery, he or she may cause trauma to the fetus, resulting in disabling conditions like Erb’s palsy and cerebral palsy.
Has a nurse, pediatrician, anesthesiologist or other health care professional caused you harm? Seek help from professional Oklahoma medical malpractice attorneys such as those at Stipe Law Firm as soon as possible.