5 Types of Medical Errors That Could Lead to a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

5 Types of Medical Errors That Could Lead to a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

We trust doctors and medical professionals to provide health care that saves lives and helps us maintain our health. We look to them to make a timely and correct diagnosis and prescribe a treatment plan that gives us the best chance of a successful outcome. Unfortunately, medical errors, negligence, and mistakes can lead to wrongful deaths and severe injuries.

When a doctor or medical provider makes a mistake, they can be held accountable for the injuries and damages they cause under Florida’s medical malpractice laws. Five common medical errors that lead to medical malpractice lawsuits are:

Surgical Errors 

Surgical Errors 

A surgical error is a preventable, unintentional mistake made during a surgical procedure. Errors can include never events such as operating on the wrong body part or the wrong patient. 

Common surgical errors include:

  • Leaving instruments or foreign objects inside a patient 
  • Operating on the wrong patient
  • Performing the wrong surgery
  • Failing to monitor a patient adequately during and after surgery 
  • Operating in unsanitary environments
  • Failing to review a patient’s medical history and chart before surgery
  • Neglecting to inform the patient of the proper post-operative care

A surgical error could result in permanent impairment or disability. Surgeons, hospitals, nurses, medical facilities, and staff members could be named as parties to a surgical error lawsuit.

Medications Errors

Taking medications has certain risks. All medications have the potential for side effects. However, when a doctor or medical professional makes a mistake with medication, the patient could suffer significant harm.

Ways that a healthcare provider could make a medication error include:

  • Prescribing the incorrect medication or dosage
  • Failing to review the patient’s current medications to check for adverse reactions
  • Neglecting to explain the potential side effects and risks of taking a medication

In addition to doctors and hospitals, pharmacies may also make medication mistakes. For example, they may give a patient the wrong medication or dose.

Anesthesia Errors

Anesthesia is a common medication used during surgery and other procedures to prevent a patient from feeling pain or being aware of the procedures. While anesthesia is generally safe when used correctly, anesthesia errors could cause severe injuries and deaths.

Common anesthesia errors include:

  • Neglecting to review the risk of using anesthesia with the patient prior to the procedure
  • Administering the incorrect anesthesia or dosage
  • Giving anesthesia at the wrong time during the procedure
  • Mistakes with oxygen 
  • Failing to monitor a patient during and after administering anesthesia
  • Neglecting to timely intubate a patient 
  • Using defective or outdated medication 
  • Failing to check a patient’s chart and medical history before administering anesthesia

In addition to the anesthesiologist, the hospital, medical facility, and surgeon could share liability for this type of medical error. 

Delayed and/or Misdiagnosis 

Failing to diagnose a patient timely with the correct condition can lead to several problems. The patient may not receive timely treatment or the correct treatment. Thus, the patient’s chance of recovery could decrease considerably and/or the patient could experience increased pain and suffering.

Common reasons why physicians fail to timely and/or correctly diagnose a patient include:

  • Failing to order diagnostic tests
  • Misinterpreting the results of diagnostic tests
  • Failing to consider a patient’s medical history and/or symptoms 
  • Overlooking a secondary condition after diagnosing a condition the doctor anticipated 
  • Faulty imagining equipment 

In addition to the doctor, the manufacturer of faulty medical equipment, the radiologist, and/or the lab could also be responsible for the patient’s misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. 

Birth Injuries

Many things can go wrong during labor and delivery that could injure or harm the mother and infant. However, some medical mistakes are the result of medical negligence, such as:

  • Failing to monitor the baby and the mother adequately 
  • Incorrectly using medical equipment to aid in the delivery process
  • Neglecting to respond promptly to fetal distress
  • Failing to recognize the signs of a high-risk pregnancy and/or delivery
  • Not performing a timely C-section 
  • Failing to refer a patient to a specialist when necessary
  • Not noticing that the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby

Errors made during labor and delivery can cause permanent impairments for the baby. An infant may suffer from infections, broken bones, cerebral palsy, brain damage, soft tissue damage, shoulder dystocia, and many other conditions.

What Should I Do if I Suspect I Was Injured Because of Medical Errors in Gainesville, FL?

Seek medical treatment from another physician immediately. Document your damages and injuries through medical records and a personal journal.

Contact a Gainesville medical malpractice lawyer for a free consultation. An attorney will review your case, explain your legal options, and help you understand your rights regarding a medical malpractice claim. 

Most medical malpractice lawsuits have a two-year statute of limitations. You lose your right to pursue a claim in court if you do not file your lawsuit before that date.

However, several exceptions could change that date. Therefore, prompt legal advice is the best way to preserve your right to pursue legal action for medical errors.

What Damages Could I Recover for Injuries Caused by Medical Errors in Florida?

Medical negligence and errors can cause significant harm to patients. The compensation you receive depends on several factors, including the type of injuries you sustained, your financial losses, the evidence proving malpractice, and the extent of permanent injury.

In most cases, patients can recover economic and non-economic damages. Examples of damages in a medical malpractice case include:

Before you can recover compensation for a medical malpractice claim, you must prove that the doctor or medical provider committed malpractice. Proving malpractice can be challenging. You must have medical experts provide testimony regarding the standard of care for your case and how the healthcare provider breached the standard of care.

You must also prove that the failure to meet the standard of care was the cause of your injuries. You cannot recover compensation for a medical malpractice case if you cannot prove harm and damages.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Gainesville Medical Malpractice Lawyers for More Information 

Medical errors can lead to life-long disabilities and significant damages. At Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact our law firm today at (877) 255-3652 for a free case evaluation with an experienced Gainesville medical malpractice attorney.