Did you know? Medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in America. According to the Journal of Patient Safety, there are approximately 400,000 deaths related to preventable medical errors every year. The CDC reports that only heart disease and cancer deaths outrank this figure, making these errors a major concern for both patients and physicians.
We list the top 10 causes of medical malpractice below and what steps to take if you or a loved one were the victim of malpractice by a careless doctor.
10 Common Causes of Medical Malpractice In the U.S.
1. Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis occurs when a physician fails to correctly diagnose a patient with the proper condition and instead either treats them for a condition they don’t have or doesn’t treat them at all. For example, if a patient is diagnosed with anxiety when they are really having a heart attack, and the patient dies as a result, their family members may be able to seek financial restitution from the medical professionals and the establishment at fault.
2. Surgical Errors
Surgical errors can be serious or even deadly and are generally considered “never events” that are completely preventable and should not happen under any circumstances. These include critical mistakes like wrong site surgery, foreign objects being left inside a patient, and other errors that can be avoided by following proper protocols.
3. Medication Errors
Physicians, nurses, and pharmacists are responsible for ensuring that a patient receives the correct medication in the correct dose at the correct time. When the wrong medication is given or the dose is too high, patients can suffer life-threatening complications as a result.
4. Anesthesia Errors
Anesthesia is a complex area of medicine that requires extensive education and training. Failure to properly anesthetize a patient, monitor their vital signs under anesthesia, and administer medications as needed can cause patients to slip into a coma, suffer brain damage, and lose their lives.
5. Infection
Post-surgical infections are almost always avoidable by following sterility protocols before, during, and after the procedure. If a surgeon, scrub nurse, or other attending medical professional. isn’t sterile while performing surgery, or if hospital staff fails to properly clean the incision during the post-op period, both local and widespread infections can occur.
6. Treatment Errors
If a doctor orders the wrong treatment or a nurse administers it, patients can be injured or killed. For example, a misdiagnosis of cancer could lead to the unnecessary administration of chemotherapy. Another instance might be if a patient is injured during the course of prescribed physical therapy.
7. Delays
Patients have the right to prompt emergency medical care and diagnosis of their condition. Any delays in care that result in a patient’s illness or death may be actionable under the law. Delays are often the results of understaffing, inadequate training, and other
8. Negligence
Negligence often goes hand in hand with delays and misdiagnosis. Patients are entitled to receive adequate attention and care in medical settings and doctors, nurses, and other staff members who neglect a patient and cause them injury as a result may be financially liable for any damages their negligence caused.
9. Inappropriate Behavior
Medical professionals are held to a high standard of dignity and inappropriate behavior can be both emotionally and physically devastating for the patient. In order to file a medical malpractice lawsuit, you don’t necessarily have to have been physically injured. If a doctor’s unacceptable actions caused you distress and you incurred damages as a result, you may be eligible to bring forward a claim.
10. Failure to Obtain Informed Consent
Physicians must obtain informed consent before performing any diagnostic test or procedure on a patient. This includes going over the potential risks and complications of the procedure as well as the risks of not having the procedure done. Failure to do this can make the physician, hospital, and attending staff responsible for anything that might go awry.
More Medical Malpractice Resources
Understanding Informed Consent and What It Means
9 Most Common Questions About Medical Malpractice
Hold Negligent Doctors Accountable With the Help of Mazow | McCullough, PC
Being the victim of medical malpractice after trusting a doctor with your care can be both physically and emotionally challenging. At Mazow | McCullough, PC, we can help you navigate the process of filing a claim against the physician or hospital responsible and will zealously advocate for you to receive the full compensation you deserve.
Contact us today to schedule your free initial consultation to learn more about medical malpractice lawsuits or to get started with your own. Call now at (978) 744-8000 or toll-free at (855) 693-9084.
Kevin J. McCullough, Partner
Kevin McCullough is a founding partner of Mazow | McCullough, PC, where he focuses on serious personal injury, wrongful death, and consumer class action litigation. Kevin’s background includes working inside the insurance industry as both an adjuster and defense attorney, giving him deep insight into insurance claims and bad-faith practices. He also served as a prosecutor in the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, where he gained extensive trial experience. Kevin lives in Danvers, Massachusetts, with his wife and five children. Kevin enjoys all outdoor activities and spending time with his family.
