Medical Malpractice and Mistakes
Medical malpractice is a serious issue that can have severe consequences, including injury and even death. Unfortunately, it is a prevalent problem. In the United States alone, an estimated 251,000 people die each year due to preventable errors in hospitals. Additionally, many others suffer harm from prescription errors, misdiagnoses, and substandard treatment.
According to a recent study conducted by The John Hopkins University School of Medicine, medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the US. Some of the most common forms of medical malpractice include misdiagnosis, surgical errors, and prescription errors.
Now, let’s delve into some of the most common medical malpractice errors:
Surgical Errors
Instances of surgical malpractice can have devastating consequences for patients already battling illness. Not only are they burdened by additional injuries, but they may also require further surgeries to rectify the damage. Unfortunately, there are cases where the problem is irreparable.
Surgical errors can result in severe injuries like brain damage, organ damage, paralysis, nerve damage, or amputation. These injuries can lead to permanent disability or even wrongful death. Our attorneys are dedicated to seeking compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, as well as funeral expenses and the personal loss of a loved one in wrongful death cases.
Surgical errors may include issues such as:
– Anesthesia errors
– Wrong-site surgery
– Nicking an organ
– Surgical instruments left in the patient
– Failure to maintain vital signs
– Failures in postoperative care
Not every bad outcome is the result of malpractice. We will determine whether medical negligence by any health care team member caused your injury.
Delayed Diagnosis or Misdiagnosis
A delayed or misdiagnosis can result in serious harm and, in some cases, wrongful death. If you or a family member has experienced misdiagnosis, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your losses.
A valid misdiagnosis claim typically involves significant harm or fatality to the patient. Although the physician can be responsible, misdiagnosis can also be attributed to other medical staff, including radiologists, pathologists, diagnostic technicians, or lab technicians.
Errors and Negligence Resulting In a Misdiagnosis Can Include:
- Ignoring the patient’s risk factors and/or symptoms
- Failure to order appropriate diagnostic tests based on patient symptoms
- Mistakes made while conducting tests
- Misreading test results
- Failure to follow up on test results
Any of these issues may result in failing to make an accurate diagnosis while the patient’s illness is treatable. Catastrophic injury or wrongful death may occur if a patient is not properly diagnosed with illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infection, and diabetes.
Birth Injuries
Medical malpractice can result in injuries during childbirth, such as oxygen deficiency, surgical errors, medication errors, and misdiagnosis. If a medical provider’s negligence harms the baby or mother, legal action can be taken with the assistance of a lawyer. At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault, our birth injury lawyers in Ohio offer compassionate representation in medical malpractice cases. We understand the challenges your family is facing during this difficult time.
We work with medical experts, life-care planners, and economists to accurately assess past and future damages associated with birth injuries. This includes medical bills, long-term care, lost wages, and potential costs exceeding $1 million over a baby’s lifetime. Receiving proper compensation to cover these expenses and holding negligent parties accountable is crucial.
Some of the most common birth injuries to infants include:
– Cerebral palsy
– Erb’s palsy/brachial plexus injuries
– Shoulder dystocia
– Brain damage
– Nerve damage
– Forceps/vacuum injuries
In addition to injuries to the baby, we also handle cases involving injury or wrongful death of the mother. We will investigate labor and delivery negligence incidents, such as failure to call a specialist, perform a C-section, or properly monitor the fetus. Other factors, like negligent prenatal care or postoperative care after a C-section, may also contribute to the problem.
Medical Malpractice Sample Cases
Examples of medical malpractice cases successfully handled by our lawyers in Toledo, Northwest Ohio, and Southeast Michigan include:
1. Cardiology: Prescription error leading to the patient’s death.
2. Radiology: Failure to detect and report a suspicious lung spot, resulting in delayed lung cancer diagnosis and the patient’s death.
3. Anesthesia: Failure to take pre-operative precautions, causing the patient to aspirate gastric content and suffer brain damage.
4. Hematology: Failure to recognize and treat a patient who received an overdose of Heparin, leading to bleeding to death.
5. Nursing: Improper triage of a patient’s call for assistance, resulting in the patient’s death.
6. Defective medical device: Breakage of an implanted device causing severe complications.
7. Plastic surgery: Negligent use of a medical laser resulting in a permanent, disfiguring scar.
8. Hospital administration: Inadequate policies to notify a recently discharged emergency room patient of an abnormal test result, leading to pancreatitis, ARDS, coma, and prolonged recovery.
Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault Can Help You
The medical malpractice lawyers at Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault provide experienced representation to injured patients and their families in Ohio and Michigan. We understand people’s frustration when a surgery does not produce the desired outcome. We investigate the claims to determine liability and to find answers for the patients and their families. Please call 419-843-6663 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We are here to help.
