There tend to be two different types of misconceptions when it comes to medical malpractice. The first one is derived from people who ask about it because they feel that they don’t know enough about the subject. These people are acknowledging that they want to educate themselves about medical malpractice.
The other group, and to no specific fault of their own, don’t ask questions because they have an idea of what they think constitutes medical malpractice. The truth of it is that medical malpractice covers a wider range of injuries than you are likely aware of.
If you have suffered an injury due to the actions—or inactions—of a medical professional, you may be able to file a civil suit to get compensated.
Inaccurate Diagnosis
The quicker the diagnosis, the sooner your treatment can begin, and the less you will be sick or injured. People might immediately think of a disease or cancer being missed which would allow it to develop or spread, and they would be correct. This could also apply to something less severe. You could have a broken foot, and instead of getting an X-ray, you are told it is a sprain. This could lengthen your recovery time or increase the damage you are doing to your foot.
Improper Medications
There’s a saying amongst medical professionals when it comes to administering drugs: the five rights. This comprises the right patient, the right dose, the right route, the right time, and the right drug. Missing one of these increases the chances of you having a negative reaction. A contraindication is a reason to not give someone a specific medication. People have conditions, and sometimes, they have other medications in their system. The introduction of new and improper medications could, potentially, have fatal consequences.
Lab Results
This is similar to an improper diagnosis, but there are different layers to this. Your doctor may misinterpret the results. Imagine how trying and psychologically difficult it would be to receive a catastrophic lab result that wasn’t accurate—or was someone else’s result. Another branch of this is if you never receive your test results.
Unnecessary Surgery
Two different doctors could examine you and disagree as to whether you needed surgery. For example, you may undergo a surgical procedure that doesn’t treat the condition you were seeking to remedy. The surgery may have completed as it was briefed. You may have even made a full recovery. However, what if the surgery shouldn’t have been a treatment option? At first, people may not view this as medical malpractice because you have no lasting injuries, but this may not be the case.
Feldman Legal Group
If you feel you have been subjected to any of the aforementioned forms of medical malpractice, you may be able to file a civil lawsuit. Because this list did not exhaust all the possibilities of medical malpractice, Feldman Legal Group can advise you about how to proceed concerning your unique circumstances. Contact us online to request an assessment of your case.