Avoiding Personal Injuries From Medical Malpractice
Every year, millions of patients visit a doctor or hospital to receive medical treatment. Most of the time, they expect to have their issues taken care of, and they trust doctors and nurses to provide quality care. However, there are far too many cases in which medical procedures go wrong, and serious injury or death occurs as a result. When someone is injured due to the negligence of medical providers, they may be able to seek compensation for medical malpractice.
What is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a hospital, doctor, or other healthcare professional causes injury or death to a patient, due to an error in diagnosis, treatment, health management, or aftercare. Medical negligence is responsible for the deaths of over 400,000 Americans every year, with these medical errors costing the country more than $19 billion.
Medical negligence may include:
- Failing to recognize symptoms
- Failing to order proper testing
- Ignoring patient history
- Releasing the patient from the hospital prematurely
- Prescribing inappropriate medication or improper dosage amounts
- Performing unnecessary or wrong site surgery
- Committing surgical errors
- Misreading or ignoring laboratory results
- Failing to diagnose
- Making a misdiagnosis
To file a medical malpractice claim, the patient must prove a violation of the standard of care, that the injury was caused as a result of negligence, and that the injury led to significant damages. A valid claim cannot simply indicate that a healthcare professional did not meet their standard of care; the patient must also prove that they were injured and that their injury would have been prevented if medical negligence did not occur.
How to Protect Yourself from Medical Malpractice
When a person is looking for a doctor, it is best to look at Illinois medical boards and review doctors’ licenses, disciplinary history, medical school records, and board certifications. However, depending on the doctor’s profile, their information may not be complete, so many details could be inaccurate. Another way for patients to ensure that they can trust their doctor is through open communication. When the patient feels like they can talk to their doctor, who in return makes the patient feel important, there is a smaller chance of medical malpractice occurring.
Contact an Aurora Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Medical malpractice is a major cause of serious injuries and death in America. Thousands of patients die because of needless medical procedures or medical mistakes that could easily have been avoided. If you or a loved one has been injured from medical malpractice, you can count on Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. to provide effective legal representation and help you receive the compensation you deserve. For a free initial consultation, please call a Kane County personal injury attorney at 630-907-0909 to discuss your case.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/consumer-reports-investigates-malpractice-probation-of-medical-providers/
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-botched-surgery-lawsuit-20171026-story.html
http://www.abpla.org/what-is-malpractice
