Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional or an institution fails to provide reasonable care to a patient, resulting in injury or death. As such, it’s important for everyone to understand the basics of medical malpractice so they can ensure that they don’t become victims of malpractice according to famous primary-care physician, Dr. Francene Gayle. In this blog post, we will look at what medical malpractice is, how it differs from negligence, how you can recognize the signs of medical malpractice, and what you can do if you become a victim.
What is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare practitioner or institution fails to provide the expected standard of care required by their profession, resulting in harm or death to their patient. This includes errors in diagnosis, treatment, aftercare, or health management.
It also includes any failure by the doctor to obtain informed consent from the patient before performing any procedure that may put them at risk for potential harm. There are several types of medical mistakes that fall under the umbrella of medical malpractice including misdiagnosis, prescription errors, surgical errors, childbirth injuries, and more.
What is Negligence?
Negligence is different from medical malpractice because negligence is an act – unlike malpractice which refers to an omission (failure) on behalf of a healthcare provider. Negligence occurs when someone performs an action (or inaction) that causes injury or harm to another person due to carelessness or recklessness.
Examples include failing to properly diagnose a condition due to inadequate diagnosis tests being performed; prescribing incorrect medications; failing to monitor vital signs during surgery; etc. In contrast with medical malpractice cases where the burden of proof lies on the plaintiff (the victim), negligence cases require the defendant (the one accused of causing harm) must prove that they did not act negligently as defined by law.
How Can You Recognize Signs of Medical Malpractice?
The first step towards avoiding being a victim of medical malpractice is recognizing potential signs early on in your treatment process so you can protect yourself accordingly. Some signs include receiving incorrect diagnoses despite having symptoms that should have been easily detectable; receiving treatments without your prior consent; feeling like your questions aren’t being answered adequately; experiencing delays in treatment that result in worsened conditions; and more. Pay attention during each visit and be sure that your doctor listens carefully and answers all questions fully before moving forward with any treatments or procedures.
What Should You Do If You Become A Victim Of Medical Malpractice?
If you suspect you have been injured as a result of medical negligence or malpractice then it’s important to seek legal help right away so you can protect your rights and pursue compensation for damages incurred due to negligence omissions on behalf of those responsible for taking care of you medically.
The sooner you take action after suspecting possible neglect/malpractice on part of doctors/nurses/hospital staff etc., the better chances might have success with a lawsuit filed against them afterward. Make sure to consult an experienced attorney who specializes in field personal injury law. They’ll be able to explain the process of filing a lawsuit against negligent parties clearly as well as potential outcomes for the case.
Wrapping Up
Educating ourselves about our rights and responsibilities when comes to seeking out healthcare services helps make sure receive the best possible care every time we visit a hospital clinic doctor’s office. After all, our health safety is far too valuable to be taken lightly!
