Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider’s mistake or carelessness causes harm to a patient. Unfortunately, if you trust your practitioner and do not know the signs of malpractice, you may forfeit your chances of seeking compensation for any injuries you suffered. Here are some of the issues that patients most often encounter.

How Does Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis Affect Patients?

When a doctor misdiagnoses your condition and gets your healthcare plan wrong, you may receive either delayed or insufficient treatment. Similarly, some doctors have offered a delayed diagnosis, which is when the correct diagnosis comes too late, sometimes after the condition has gotten worse.

What Are Surgical Errors, and Why Do They Happen?

“Surgical errors”—mistakes made during surgery—should never happen! Unfortunately, some surgical teams operate on the wrong body part, perform the wrong procedure, leave tools inside the patient, or use unsterilized equipment. Problems with care after surgery can also fall into this category, and these errors can lead to long-term health issues, more surgeries, or permanent injuries.

Why Is Failure to Treat a Form of Malpractice?

Sometimes a doctor correctly diagnoses a patient’s issue but fails to provide the right care. They may send someone home too soon, neglect to offer the right follow-up, or deviate from accepted medical practices. When a doctor makes any of these errors, a patient’s health can get worse because they did not get the care they needed.

What Are Birth Injuries and How Do They Happen?

“Birth injuries” happen when something goes wrong during labor or delivery, and either the baby, the mother, or both sustain an injury. This injury can look like nerve damage, brain injuries like cerebral palsy, or another form of trauma. Many of these injuries can be prevented, but whether caused by mistakes or carelessness, the court may consider the result to be medical malpractice.

How Do Prescription Drug Errors Impact Patients?

Prescription drug errors can happen at any stage—when a doctor writes the prescription, when a pharmacist fills it, or when the pharmacy gives the medication to the patient. But if a patient takes the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or a dangerous combination of medicines, the error can make someone’s condition worse or even threaten their life.

What Happens When There Are Anesthesia Errors?

Anesthesia errors involve mistakes with the medication that keeps you comfortable during surgery. If a surgical team administers too much or too little, neglects to keep an eye on your vital signs, or fails to give you the right instructions before or after surgery, their negligence can all cause serious problems and lead to pain, brain injury, or even death.

Can Infections in Hospitals Be a Sign of Malpractice?

It is imperative that hospitals and clinics keep their environment clean and safe. If you get an infection because of unsanitary conditions or equipment, or if the facility fails to treat your infection properly, you may have a case for medical malpractice.

Find Support and Answers With the Albuquerque Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC

If you or a loved one has experienced any of these types of medical malpractice, the Albuquerque medical malpractice lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC are here to listen and help. For a free consultation, call 505-900-3559 or contact us online. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, we proudly serve clients in the surrounding areas.