Examples of Medical Malpractice
The consequences of medical malpractice for even seemingly minor things can be deadly. In New Jersey, one of two physicians accused of medical malpractice for misdiagnosing a bee sting as heat stroke has recently settled with the deceased man's estate.
William Hensley had been mowing his lawn back in 2005 when a neighbor found him foaming at the mouth and unconscious, surrounded by bees. Doctors at the hospital that Hensley went to ruled out that he had a reaction to a bee string without conducting any tests. They concluded instead that Hensley had suffered a heat stroke.
Hensley recovered but a month later, was mowing his lawn again when his wife saw him swatting himself and believed bees had stung him. About an hour later Hensley died at a hospital. Hensley's family claims that Hensley could have protected himself had he known about his severe reaction to bee stings. If the mistakes of a medical professional have caused unnecessary injuries and suffering to you or a loved one, a Boston injury attorney can review your case and help you determine the best plan of action.
Examples of Medical Malpractice
Many people are unaware of the type of behavior on the part of a medical professional that might constitute medical malpractice. The following are examples of medical malpractice:
- Failure to diagnose a medical condition
- Misdiagnosis of a medical condition
- Unreasonably delay in responding to a medical condition (as a result, a malady may develop to the point that it is no longer treatable)
- Improper informed consent procedures (for example, providing improper or inadequate warnings about the risk of a procedure)
- Providing incorrect doses of radiation or drugs
- Unsanitary conditions that expose patients to elevated risks of infection or other diseases
- Falsifying medical records
- Negligence or errors made during surgery
- Negligence or errors that occur during a child's birth
- Attempting to hide patient neglect or mistreatment
- Administering unnecessary tests to a patient that result in harm
- Laboratory errors in conducting tests or interpreting test results
Medical malpractice is an area with which it is best to deal as soon as possible. There are statutes of limitations but it also takes a lot of time and effort to investigate these cases. Medical experts on both sides need to examine the claims. Nevertheless, it is important to pursue these claims. They can save lives, as studies have suggested that nearly 200,000 hospital deaths a year are due to preventable medical errors.
If medical malpractice has injured you, contact a Washington DC injury lawyer at Pollack & Flanders, LLP to learn how you can obtain compensation for your injuries.