Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Lawyer discusses Types of Medical Malpractice Cases
Over 98,000 people die each year from injuries resulting from some form of medical malpractice. Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional does not adhere to the standard of care required of them and their negligence results in an injury to their patient. The first step in beginning a medical malpractice lawsuit is determining whether or not medical malpractice is to blame for your injuries.
Common types of medical malpractice include:
- Delay in Diagnosis: When a medical professional does not discover the cause of an ailment in a timely manner, and the delay leads to a catastrophic and deadly injury, the doctor could be held liable for malpractice.
- Failure to Diagnose: If a medical professional fails to diagnose a condition that most adequately trained, reasonable, and careful medical professionals would have correctly diagnosed, they could be held liable for malpractice.
- Failure to Warn of Known Medical Risks: Failure to inform a patient about all known medical risks can also be referred to as negligent nondisclosure. These types of claims require the patient to prove they would not have consented to the procedure if they were aware of all the risks involved.
- Improper Patient Treatment: All medical professionals are required to be current in their knowledge of the best practices and treatments in their field. They are also expected to act reasonably and carefully. A medical professional may be held liable if their ignorance or carelessness results in an injury to their patient.
- Medical Mistake: A poor outcome of a medical procedure is not always a medical malpractice. However, when a mistake is made during a procedure or if the wrong procedure is performed, the medical professional may be responsible for the resulting injuries.