Medical Malpractice 101 - A Look At The Types of Med Mal and Why Medical Errors Occur (1)

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Medical Malpractice 101

• A Look at the Types of Med Mal, and Why Medical
  Errors Occur

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How Common is Medical Malpractice?

• We put our faith in the ability of our doctors to
  provide us with a certain level of skilled
  healthcare. One of the most fundamental lessons
  medical professionals learn in school is
  represented by the Latin phrase primum non
  nocere - first, do no harm. Even with the trust
  we put in doctors, and the priority of doctors
  not to cause their patients further injury and
  illness, mistakes are often made in the medical
  field which cost patients dearly. A Johns Hopkins
  study estimated that over 250,000 people died
  every single year due to medical error.

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What is Medical Malpractice?

• Medical practice occurs when a medical
  professional - doctors, nurses, etc. - provide
  care that diverges from what is accepted as
  standard or reasonable care. Medical malpractice
  might mean that a doctor makes mistakes or acts
  in an unreasonable manner and causes a patient
  harm. There are many types of malpractice that
  well look at in the following but, first, lets
  look why it can happen.

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What Goes Wrong?

• There are a number of causes of medical error,
  ranging from systematic errors to individual
  mistakes made by doctors. A few common reasons
  for medical error include
• Overworked Doctors/Understaffed Facilities - When
  a medical staff or facility is stretched thin in
  terms of capacity or time constraints, mistakes
  are more likely to happen.
• Distracted or Inattentive Doctors - Whether too
  busy or simply not paying attention, a doctor is
  more likely to provide unreasonable and
  potentially harmful care to patients if they
  arent focused on the task in front of them.
• Communication Breakdowns - Lack of communication
  between departments, doctors, nurses or
  pharmacists can lead to serious breaches of care
  that can have disastrous results for patients.
• Misinterpreted Results/Directions - Misreading
  results or orders, or even illegible handwriting
  can lead to confusion and inappropriate medical
  care in a facility, or in the wrong treatment or
  medication being ordered for a patient.
• Wrong Patient/Wrong Procedure - Sometimes medical
  professionals will mistake a patients identity
  or order the wrong procedure, which can result in
  serious and potentially fatal medical mistakes.

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Diagnosis Errors

• Misdiagnosis and wrongful diagnosis can be a
  critical mistake that precipitates a series of
  harmful treatments and tests for patients. If the
  following conditions are misdiagnosed by a
  doctor, patients can suffer greatly as a result

Caner Brain Tumors Diabetes Heart
Conditions
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Surgical Errors

• Surgical errors are a common type of medical
  malpractice, one that can be deadly for some
  patients. Some examples of surgical error
  include
• Failure to recognize and treat surgical
  complications
• Failure to operate when necessary
• Unnecessary surgery
• Misidentified patients and body parts
• Objects left in body after surgery

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Anesthesia Errors

• Anesthesia is administered according to the needs
  of the patient and the type of procedure that
  will be performed. Anesthesia errors can be
  dangerous and, in some cases, fatal for patients.
  Here are some of the most common types of
  complications that can arise from administering
  anesthesia
• Failure to seek informed consent for anesthesia
• When using general anesthesia, the doctor or
  nurse must breathe for the patient. It is
  considered negligence when a doctor fails to
  ensure that the patient is breathing and getting
  sufficient oxygen during anesthesia.
• When using spinal anesthesia, using the wrong
  drug, the wrong concentration of a drug, or using
  the wrong amount of a drug is negligent. It can
  also be negligent if a doctor doesnt prevent a
  patient from bleeding into their spinal canal,
  which can cause paralysis.
• When using regional anesthesia, injuries can
  occur if the doctor negligently puts the needle
  directly into the nerve.
• Complications are rarer when using local
  anesthesia, but may include allergic reactions to
  the anesthetic and/or skin damage.

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Birth Injuries
Mistakes made during the birthing process can
have effects that last for the rest of a childs
life and impact the lives of those around them in
significant ways. Some common forms of birth
injury include

• Erbs palsy
• Skin problems
• Breathing problems

• Brain damage
• Cerebral palsy
• Fractured bones

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Medication Errors
Taking the wrong type of medication can lead to
serious complications in a patient, in addition
to leaving that patient without the medicine they
need to treat their condition. Medication errors
can occur in many forms, including

• Negligent dosing Overdose/under dose
• Wrong drug
• Drug interactions
• Allergic reactions

• Side effects
• Pharmacy errors
• Failing to cross-reference medication
• Institutional failures

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Nursing Home Medical Malpractice
Nursing home abuse can also be a form of medical
malpractice. A nursing home staff is responsible
for the well-being of their patients and
residents. There are many ways in which a person
can suffer from nursing home abuse, including

• Neglect
• Failure to supervise residents or staff
• Bed sores or decubitus ulcers
• Broken bones
• Malnutrition and dehydration

• Bruises
• Sexual abuse
• Physical assault by staff
• Verbal abuse
• Intimidation or bullying

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What Medical Malpractice Means for Patients?

• When a patient is subjected to medical error, the
  results can be catastrophic.
• That can mean
• The worsening of a condition
• New injuries or illnesses due to malpractice
• Costly treatment to address injury illness caused
  by malpractice
• Pain and suffering due to the malpractice
• Wrongful death

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Have You Been the Victim of Medical Malpractice?

• If you or a loved one has been injured or lost
  their lives due to the mistakes of a medical
  professional or the mistreatment in a medical
  facility, the attorneys at Cirignani Heller
  Harman, LLP can help. We will investigate your
  case to determine who was at fault and fight for
  you to make sure that you receive the
  compensation that you deserve.
• Contact our medical malpractice attorneys today
• to learn more about how we can assist you.

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