Malpractice
means negligence by a professional.
Medical errors have been reported as
a leading cause of death in the United
States. Medical mistakes occur not only
in hospitals but in day surgery and
outpatient clinics, retail pharmacies,
nursing homes, and home care. Medication
errors alone contribute to more than
7,000 deaths annually.
A doctor, dentist or hospital can be sued for failing to order tests, missing a diagnosis, delaying treatment or other unreasonable conduct which causes injury to a patient. Doctors rarely will admit they have done wrong -- and can almost always find a colleague to defend their professional judgment. Law firms accepting malpractice cases must invest substantial time and money to help prove that the care (or lack of it) caused the patient's bad outcome.
Medical malpractice can occur through a health care provider's negligent action or inaction. Negligence is considered to be the failure by a provider to follow accepted professional standards of care (or what a "reasonable" provider would do) that cause harm to a patient. Signing a consent form does not allow a health care provider to escape medical malpractice liability.
Common examples of medical malpractice include, but are not limited to:
