What Are The Most Common Medical Malpractice Cases?

When you visit your local doctor or the hospital, you expect to leave in better condition than when you first arrived. Unfortunately, for more than 250,000 individuals each year. that’s not the case. Medical malpractice causes at least one-quarter of a million deaths every year and countless other cases go unreported.

Any time a doctor or other medical professional is negligent, it’s considered medical malpractice. There are multiple types of medical malpractice and all of them are serious. Let’s take a closer look at the most common types of medical malpractice so you know what to look for when you seek medical attention.

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The Most Common Medical Malpractice Cases

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What Are Prescription Errors?

There are more than 5 billion prescriptions being filled in the United States each year. With such a high volume, it’s inevitable that there will be some mistakes made, with the wrong medication given to some. As common as they are, however, prescription errors are unacceptable. If a patient gets the wrong prescription, the results can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. There are numerous checkpoints for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and prescription manufacturers to help ensure all prescriptions are bottled correctly. When a medical professional or manufacturer fails to do their job by properly checking the prescription, they’re liable for the damages.

What is Medical Misdiagnosis?

Doctors go through extensive schooling and training before they can work in their profession. When you visit a doctor, you expect they’ll be able to help you. Unfortunately, there are some diagnoses that are difficult for even the best doctors in the field. When a doctor misdiagnoses a patient, it can cost the patient their life. Patients who experience misdiagnosis have the right to legally pursue their doctor for a settlement that covers the cost of their medical treatment, lifestyle impact, and pain and suffering.

doctor sitting at a patient's bedside holding a stethoscope
gloved hand selecting a medical instrument for surgeons working in the background

What Are Common Surgical Errors?

Going under the knife is extremely intimidating – and for good reason. There are multiple things that can go wrong when a person undergoes surgery. More than 85,000 individuals file medical malpractice cases for surgical errors each year. Some of the most common surgical errors include:

  • Performing the wrong procedure
  • Leaving a foreign object inside a patient
  • Inflicting nerve damage
  • Operating on the wrong site

The outcomes of surgical errors are often infections, injuries, and even death. When a surgeon makes an error, they’re liable for the damage they caused.

What Are Common Anesthesia Errors?

Whether you’ve been under anesthesia once or multiple times, there are always risks involved. Anesthesia is a powerful combination of drugs used during medical procedures to help the patient feel little to no pain. Common anesthesia errors include:

  • Too much anesthesia
  • Too little anesthesia
  • The wrong type of anesthesia

A single mistake with anesthesia can become deadly very quickly. That’s why it’s imperative for an anesthesiologist to pay careful attention to their work. If you’ve experienced an anesthesia accident, you’re entitled to compensation for your injuries and pain and suffering.

surgeons working in an operating room
surgical instruments on a table with surgeons working in the background

What Are Common Childbirth Mistakes?

Although technology is extremely advanced, errors during childbirth are still among the most common medical malpractice cases. There are a variety of things that can go awry during childbirth, including:

  • Lack of oxygen
  • Use of too much force
  • Poor operative planning during a C-Section
  • Too much anesthesia
  • Fetal spinal cord injuries
  • Postpartum hemorrhaging

When anything goes wrong during childbirth that was within the doctor’s control, both the mother and the child are entitled to compensation for their suffering.

Experienced California Medical Malpractice Attorneys

In California, The Barnes Firm is a trusted source of legal representation for medical malpractice cases. We are experienced in personal injury cases and have a history of winning settlements for victims of medical malpractice. Our attorneys are recognized by Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers In America, and Lexis Nexis.

You don’t need to wait another day before you seek justice from your medical malpractice case. For a free consultation, call our office or contact us online. We’re available 24/7 and are always here to help.

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