Have I Been Harmed by Medical Malpractice? 

 Posted on September 15, 2021 in Medical Malpractice

Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the U.S. today. Sometimes it is clear that medical malpractice has occurred, such as when a surgeon leaves a foreign object inside the patient’s body during an operation. Other times, it is not so clear. Some patients may not even realize that they have been the victim of medical malpractice until years later. This article will cover some common types of medical malpractice. If you suspect that you have suffered worksened health as a result of medical malpractice, it is important to get in contact with a qualified attorney as soon as you realize that something is amiss.

Delayed Diagnosis or Misdiagnosis

This type of medical malpractice can be quite insidious. People tend to trust their doctors and often accept their diagnoses - or lack thereof - without question. Healthcare providers may sometimes miss the signs of a serious illness such as cancer, resulting in delayed treatment. Or, a doctor may incorrectly diagnose a condition, resulting in unnecessary treatment or the wrong treatment. A patient may not discover this type of medical malpractice until years later after they have already suffered substantial harm as a result.

Failure to Treat

Doctors nowadays are extremely busy, and sometimes take on more patients than they can safely manage. This increases the risk that patients will be harmed as a result of negligence. A doctor may fail to provide adequate instructions for follow-up care after a hospital visit, release a patient from the hospital too soon or without providing necessary care, or fail to order tests that would have caught a serious condition.

Prescription Drug Errors

Doctors or other medical workers may prescribe a dose that is too high or too low, fail to recognize that the drug they prescribed dangerously interacts with another medication the patient is taking, erroneously refuse to take a potentially dangerous side effect seriously, or prescribe the wrong medication entirely. Some patients may take a negligently prescribed medication for long periods of time before realizing the harm they have suffered.

Childbirth Errors

Some parents may not initially realize that a medical problem their child has was actually caused by a birth injury that a doctor should have prevented. There is a wide range of conduct that constitutes medical malpractice related to childbirth, from inadequate prenatal care to mishandling an infant during or just after birth.

Contact an Orland Park Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If you believe that you have been harmed by any form of medical malpractice, call Issa Law, LLC. You may have a limited period of time in which you can file a claim, so it is important to reach out to an Orland Park medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you become aware that you’ve been affected by malpractice. Call 708-966-2408 for your free consultation today.

Sources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248175

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/22/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-america.html