Most Common Medical Errors That Lead to Medical Malpractice

Most of us quite literally trust our doctors with our lives. However, many people don’t know that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. If you suspect you have been a victim of medical malpractice, consult grothlaw.com today and get professional legal advice. 

What are the most common medical errors?

As unfortunate as it is, medical errors are not a rare occurrence in the United States. Some of the most common medical errors are: 

Failure to perform lab tests or to act on them. 

Laboratory tests are an essential element in the diagnosis of a patient. If there are any errors during the lab tests, this can greatly affect the diagnosis and treatment of the patient. The results can be very harmful. Sometimes, a doctor may fail to order the proper tests. Other times, the tests may not be administered properly, or the doctor may not read the results correctly. All of these can cause devastating results for a patient.

Using the wrong treatment

In the medical world, there is a proper procedure for everything, including treatments. However, sometimes doctors may issue an incorrect treatment due to either carelessness or haste. Applying the wrong treatment should never happen and is considered medical malpractice. 

Prescribing the wrong medication

Another example of medical errors or medical malpractice is prescribing incorrect medication to patients. This could mean giving the wrong medicine or prescribing an incorrect drug dosage. This can also include situations when a doctor fails to inform the patient of the side effects of a particular medicine. 

Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis, or a delayed diagnosis, can cause injuries that the doctor could have easily prevented. It may even result in death. It is medical malpractice if a hospital or doctor should have been able to diagnose a condition but does not diagnose it or issues the wrong treatment or late treatment, and the patient suffers because of it. 

Botched surgery

There is a standard of care that all doctors need to follow during surgery. If the standard of care is not followed and the surgery goes wrong, the patient can suffer serious injuries or even death. 

Talk to a professional today. 

If a doctor or any medical practitioner has caused you some harm through medical errors, you may be eligible for compensation. Talk to an experienced personal injury attorney today and figure out how to protect your rights.