What Is Considered Medical Malpractice?
The American Medical Association has found that about one-third of doctors face lawsuits during their respective careers. More often than not, these doctors deal with lawsuits that allege medical malpractice.
With this startling statistic in mind, you might think the majority of Americans could answer the question, “What is considered medical malpractice?” However, many end up passing up the chance to file lawsuits against doctors because of it.
Find out more about medical practice below and hire the sharpest personal injury lawyer Wichita, KS, has to offer if you ever suspect a doctor made a medical error that impacted you.
What Is Considered Medical Malpractice?
Doctors have certain standards of care they’re required to meet while taking care of patients. If a doctor fails to adhere to these standards, they could face a medical malpractice claim. So, what is considered medical malpractice? It’s any instance where a medical professional fails to meet the standard of care the average professional in their position would have met.
Medical malpractice can include a medical error that a doctor makes during a procedure. It can also include a doctor’s failure to diagnose a patient with a condition following an examination.
Doctors aren’t the only ones who need to keep medical malpractice on their radars, either. Nurses, radiologists, and anesthesiologists can also face medical malpractice claims filed by patients and personal injury lawyers.
What Are Common Examples of Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice is a broad term used to describe a wide range of scenarios in which doctors and other medical professionals are accused of not doing enough to help their patients and found negligent. Some examples include:
- A doctor misdiagnosing a patient with the wrong condition
- A doctor failing to diagnose a patient with a condition soon enough
- A doctor performing a procedure on a patient without their consent
- A doctor making a critical error while treating a patient during a procedure (such as operating on the wrong body part, which happens more often than people realize)
- A doctor doing something that causes a patient to die before, during, or after a medical treatment
About 20,000 medical malpractice lawsuits are filed annually in the U.S., though many believe the number of cases that could be filed is much higher than that.
What Should You Do If You’re the Victim of Medical Malpractice?
If a doctor or another medical professional provided you with treatment and made a mistake that led to you suffering from serious health issues and paying excessive medical bills, you have the right to file a lawsuit against them. A personal injury attorney who has handled medical malpractice cases in the past can provide the legal services you need.
Need To Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer? Contact Us Today
Are you a medical malpractice victim, or are you working your way through the aftermath of a loved one’s death from a medical error? Larry Wall Trial Law is here to help. Call us at 316-265-6000 or fill out our online form to secure a more in-depth answer to the question, “What is considered medical malpractice?” from one of our trusted lawyers.