Introduction
- Do you know how you can spot if medical negligence and malpractice have been done on you or your family members?
- Are you aware that you can hold a doctor and medical institution responsible for an act of medical negligence?
- Have you tried understanding the causes, reasons, and problems surrounding medical negligence?
We all depend on doctors and trained medical professionals to save our lives. From the smallest common cold to organ transplants, we are dependent on them. However, doctors are human beings and hospitals want to make profits, just like any business entity.
There might be occasions when a faulty diagnosis, treatment, and carelessness can result in serious personal injuries for the victims. According to a report published in the CNBC, more than 2 million Americans lose their lives every year because of medical negligence.
In this article, we are going to look at this burning issue. We will discuss the definition of medical negligence and see the areas where it applies to. In addition to this, we will look at how a personal injury lawyer can help you with regard to medical negligence cases.
Medical Negligence: Meaning and Definition
Medical Negligence can be simply defined as misconduct on the part of a healthcare professional or institution. Medicine, like any other specialized professional activity, has a standard set of rules and procedures, which need to be followed. It is when deviations are done in the standard operating procedures that an act of negligence can be registered.
It also refers to an unskilled treatment being administered to a patient by a pharmacist, surgeon, nurse, general physician, or any other healthcare professional attached to the institution. Cumulatively it can be applied for diagnosis-related issues, treatment care, and aftercare services.
In addition to holding individual professionals accountable, medical negligence cases can also be filed against a hospital, nursing homes, diagnostic centers, or any large healthcare facility. According to John Hopkins, medical negligence is the third biggest contributor to death in the United States.
How can you prove if an act of Medical Negligence has taken place?
Like all legal processes, there are some standards, which are applied to the field of medicine. If those standards and levels are not maintained, a case for medical negligence arises. Let us look at some of them below-
1. Effective Communication-
Any patient who is being treated in a medical facility is looked upon by different medical practitioners. This means that among themselves, they should ensure the proper and timely flow of information and communication. If a test has been done, and the results are out, the treatment should not wait. This is just one example of how communication should work.
2. Fast Treatments-
Hospitals are businesses. This means that the more patients they see and treat, the better will be the revenue figures for the hospital. This can lead to faulty medical practices being followed where the patients are being treated in haste. As you can imagine, this can lead to a lot of problems, leading to loss of lives and other serious medical complications.
3. Untrained Doctors in a Niche-
We seek appointments from cardiologists if we have a heart condition as they are experts. Doctors, like any other profession, seek out specializations. However, there can be instances where a doctor gets too greedy and starts diagnosing a patient beyond his area of expertise. This can lead to serious medical malpractice.
How can a Personal Injury Lawyer help you?
When it comes to medical negligence you should look at personal injury attorney practice areas before you choose one. It is always better to work with legal experts who have prior experience of working with medical malpractice cases to ensure you get fair compensation.
In addition to gathering evidence and investigating the issue, a lawyer can coordinate with police and health officials and also present the case in front of a court of law. To know more about medical malpractice, please visit Steinberg Goodman & Kalish.
