Common Types of Medical Malpractice

Each year, thousands of Americans are harmed by the negligence of medical professionals. Medical malpractice claims can be brought against doctors, nurses, EMTs, pharmacists, dentists, hospitals, and any other medical professionals who fail to provide patients with proper care and treatment.

While countless factors can be involved in these tragic cases, most medical malpractice claims are the result of a few specific types of negligence.

Failure to Diagnose or Misdiagnosis

If a physician fails to diagnose a patient’s illness or injury, or misdiagnoses the problem, the patient can suffer serious harm as a result. A physician could be sued for medical malpractice if they fail to properly diagnose or discover an illness or injury that any other competent medical professional would have diagnosed or discovered.

Improper Treatment

If a physician chooses a treatment that any other competent medical professional would not have chosen or if they fail to treat the patient as any other competent medical professional would have, the physician could be liable for malpractice. Similarly, the physician could also be liable for medical malpractice if they chose the correct form of treatment but administered it to the patient improperly.

Failure to Warn of Known Risks

Medical professionals have a responsibility to warn patients of any known risks of the procedures, medications, or other treatments they recommend. This obligation is referred to as the duty of informed consent, and is important because it enables patients to make informed decisions about their medical care. If a physician violates their duty of informed consent, and had the patient known of all risks beforehand, they would not have elected to carry on with the treatment that caused them harm, the physician could be sued for malpractice.

If you have been harmed by the negligence of a medical professional, it is important to learn about your legal options. Visit our Medical Malpractice page for more information or call De Castroverde Law Group to discuss your case with our experienced lawyers.