Medical malpractice is a serious issue. In Florida, it can be considered an epidemic.
Doctors are supposed to be held accountable in the case of medical malpractice. Instead, many are choosing to settle out of court, which allows them to maintain their license and practice medicine.
That means that you need to be able to spot medical malpractice. Knowing what medical malpractice looks like can literally save your life. You can do that by looking at these examples of medical malpractice.
Let’s get started!
1. Negligence vs Malpractice
The first thing you need to know about medical malpractice is that there is a difference between malpractice and negligence.
Negligence happens when a doctor or nurse makes a mistake and causes you harm. There is no intent to hurt you, it was an oversight on their part.
Malpractice happens when a health practitioner takes a course of treatment that they know they shouldn’t, but they proceed to do so anyway.
2. Ignoring Lab Results
Some doctors think that they know exactly what’s wrong based on what you tell them. They send out for lab work anyway. When the results come in, the results contradict the doctor’s original thinking.
The doctor that ignores the lab results is committing malpractice. They have information to allow them to make a better decision and they don’t use it.
3. Wrong or Delayed Diagnosis
A doctor can look at the data and your symptoms and still make a wrong diagnosis. A misdiagnosis can have consequences.
They may also take their time in giving a diagnosis. In some cases, this could be fatal because, with some health issues, they can get much worse as time goes on.
4. Letting You Leave Too Soon
Hospitals are always eager to let patients leave. However, you can’t leave when you’re not ready or you still need care that only a hospital can provide.
It is malpractice to discharge you from their care too early.
5. Surgery That’s Not Needed
There are some doctors that will jump to the same conclusions, no matter what the situation is. Some believe that garlic cures everything.
There are others that will jump right to surgery. Surgery can be an important part of healthcare, but in some cases, there are other forms of treatment that can be used.
What if You Experience Medical Malpractice?
If you experience medical malpractice by your doctor, the consequences can be serious. It can escalate into a life or death situation.
What are your options at that point? The first thing you need to do is contact a personal injury attorney. Meeting an injury lawyer that has medical malpractice experience is your best option.
The next thing you need to do is to document everything. In malpractice cases that go to court, the burden is on you to prove that the doctor committed medical malpractice. The more documentation you have, the easier it is to prove your case.
Examples of Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is a serious issue. As doctors and health staff become more stretched, they are prone to make mistakes. Yet, there are some mistakes that can definitely be prevented.
These examples of medical malpractice show you what to look out for as you receive health care. You want to be able to trust your health practitioner, but you also want to protect yourself.
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