Types of Medical Malpractice Claims
There are several types of medical malpractice claims that may be pursued when a patient believes he has experienced injuries based on a medical professional’s actions or omissions. As most medical malpractice claims involve doctors or physicians, those are the medical professionals referred to throughout this page.
Some of the most common general types of medical malpractice claims include the following:
- Failure to diagnose: When a doctor doesn’t diagnose an illness or ailment despite being aware of related symptoms.
- Failure to treat adequately: Sometimes although a doctor has correctly diagnosed an illness or ailment, the treatment provided to the patient is inadequate, which may result in various problems for the patient.
- Failure to follow up: When a doctor has evidence that something is not right about a patient’s health, tests, etc., but then doesn’t go through the proper medical steps to make sure the patient is in the best health possible.
- Informed consent: In every instance besides in the case of emergency, doctors must provide patients with information regarding a procedure including its risks and benefits.
- Misdiagnosis: When a doctor has given the wrong diagnosis of an illness or ailment.
- Prescriptions/Medications: When a doctor incorrectly prescribes medication or medical devices for a patient to use.
- Surgical injuries: When a patient has developed additional injuries or complications because of a surgery.
- Unreasonable delay in diagnosis or treatment: When a doctor has allowed too much time to lapse between examination and diagnosis and/or treatment, and the patient suffers adverse affects because of it.
If you think you may have a medical malpractice claim, you are advised to get in touch with a lawyer as soon as possible; medical malpractice claims often have strict statute of limitations attached, which means you only have a certain period of time after your injury to pursue a claim.