Medical malpractice is a serious issue in Tampa, the third-most populous city in Florida. Boasting an economy driven by tourism, healthcare, finance, technology, and construction, the city is a hub of activity involving people from all walks of life.
Medical malpractice can affect the health and wellness of patients who trust doctors and other healthcare professionals. Generally, people visit doctors to cure their health problems. Unfortunately, doctors may make mistakes that have serious health consequences for patients.
Medical malpractice can take several forms, such as medication errors, misdiagnosis, birth injuries, surgical errors, and more. As a victim, it is important to consult with a Tampa medical malpractice lawyer to seek justice and compensation for your injuries.
Before contacting an attorney, you should know about the seven common examples of medical malpractice that are frequently seen in Tampa. And it is also necessary to know how they can impact your case.
This article will help you learn about the seven instances of medical malpractice that can result in death or injury for patients.
Anesthesia Errors
Anesthesia errors occur when a healthcare provider or anesthesiologist gives too little or too much anesthesia to a patient, particularly during medical procedures or surgery. This may cause severe complications for the patient, such as
- Paralysis
- Coma
- Brain damage
- Death
For instance, when an anesthesiologist fails to check the medical history and allergies of a patient before giving them anesthesia, the patient may suffer from cardiac arrest or an allergic reaction.
Delayed Diagnosis or Misdiagnosis
This kind of medical malpractice occurs if a doctor delays or incorrectly treats a patient or fails to diagnose the patient’s health condition accurately. This may worsen the patient’s health condition or even cause death.
An example of misdiagnosis is when a doctor misdiagnoses the patient’s chest pain as indigestion rather than a heart attack. In this case, the patient may suffer severe health issues due to the misdiagnosis.
Surgical Errors
Surgical errors occur when the surgeon makes a mistake during a surgical procedure. This includes leaving a foreign object inside the patient’s body, operating on the wrong area, causing an infection, or damaging a nerve or organ.
When a surgeon performs an operation on the wrong knee of a patient who requires knee replacement surgery, the patient may suffer from disability and severe pain. The victim should prove that the surgeon breached the standard of care during the surgery and that the medical negligence caused harm to the patient.
Prescription Errors
Prescription errors occur if the doctor prescribes the wrong dosage or medication or the incorrect combination of medicines to a patient. They may cause side effects, ineffectiveness of treatment, or overdose.
This error can have disastrous results for the patient. This type of medical negligence usually happens due to the negligence of the doctor but also due to carelessness, a lack of motivation, or forgetfulness.
Hospital Negligence
Hospital negligence happens when the hospital or its staff fails to give appropriate care to a patient, resulting in injury or harm. Here are some of the most common hospital negligence cases:
- Medical, procedural, or systemic failures
- Omissions or errors in medical records
- Improper hiring or lack of doctors and other staff
Victims can file a case against the negligent hospital to claim compensation for damages and health issues that arose due to hospital negligence.
E.R Negligence
Hospital emergency rooms are always chaotic and busy. Emergency room negligence generally happens if the emergency room or its staff fails to offer proper care to the patient who requires urgent medical attention. ER negligence results in severe injury or death. ER negligence happens in the form of
- Error in diagnosis
- Error in evaluation
- Error in treatment
- Error in medication
- Error in discharge
Birth Injuries
Birth injuries are well-known medical negligence cases that occur if a healthcare provider or doctor causes harm to the mother or baby during pregnancy, delivery, labor, or postnatal care.
For instance, when the doctor fails to check the fetal heart rate or perform an emergency cesarean section when required, the new-born baby may suffer from cerebral palsy, brain damage, or other birth defects.
The victim should show that the doctor was negligent in offering perinatal or prenatal care and that the negligence caused harm to the new-born baby or the mother.
Wrapping Up
To conclude, these are the seven common instances of medical malpractice that cause severe harm or death.
If you have experienced any of the above types of medical negligence, you should discuss your legal options and file a case with the help of a medical malpractice lawyer.