Medical malpractice occurs when the negligence of a hospital, doctor, or medical staff results in injury to a patient. The negligence may be the result of a misdiagnosis, improper treatment, or a dereliction of duty after medical services have been rendered.
As for some examples of medical malpractice, there are many. One involves a patient being subjected to either an unnecessary surgery or having the wrong one performed on them. This most commonly results from a patient being improperly diagnosed.
Another situation involving medical malpractice is one in which a patient is discharged too soon. Others may include a patient having been given the wrong medication or being prescribed the wrong dosage.
Even in instances in which a correct surgery was performed, it can be later determined that the surgery was botched. This most often refers to a surgery having been done incorrectly or that resulted in a medical instrument having been left in the patient.
It also can refer to a situation in which a proper patient history was either not performed or was simply ignored. Additionally, medical personnel may have either failed to order the right tests or recognize the patient’s symptoms as well.
To substantiate a medical malpractice claim, a patient must be able to show that standard medical care was violated in one or more ways. One such way involves proving that the patient would have not sustained an injury had it not been for the attending medical personnel’s negligence.
Any claim should reinforce that the injuries the patient sustained are significant. As part of the process of doing so, the patient will want to connect the medical error to any loss of income, undue suffering from severe pain, and past and future medical expenses they have amassed.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of medical malpractice, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can provide advice and guidance in your legal matter.
Source: American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, “What is medical malpractice?,” accessed March 03, 2017