Medical Malpractice

We rely on our doctors. We rely on the fact that medical professionals are competent, educated, and are only going to help us with whatever kind of medical treatment we need. Unfortunately, however, doctors are only human and do make mistakes. The drastic consequences that we sometimes have to face due to medical malpractice are life changing.

Medical malpractice is defined as the negligent act, or failure to act, of a medical professional (including nurses and physicians assistants). In other words, when you seek the assistance of a doctor or medical professional, he or she owes you a duty of care. Medical professionals are held to a standard that they must meet when providing medical care. Should they breach that duty resulting in death or injury to you or your loved one, it can be medical malpractice.

When we put the care of ourselves, our families, and especially our children, in the hands of another, we are trusting them with what is most important to us. It is for this reason that medical malpractice exists. Medical malpractice laws seek to protect the American public from the preventable errors doctors and medical professionals make that cause injury and sometimes death.

Law suits have been filed against medical professionals alleging a variety of negligent acts including:

· Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose

· Medication errors

· Adverse drug interactions

· Anesthesia mistakes

· Birth defects or injuries

· Improper procedure

· Wrongful death

· Errors in surgery

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), there are over 220,000 deaths attributable to medical malpractice every year. The JAMA also reported over 12,000 deaths due to unnecessary surgery and 7,000 deaths due to medication mistakes. There have even been reports of medical malpractice cases involving amputations of the wrong limb. These mistakes do happen, and the patients suffer the consequences. Medical malpractice intends to punish the medical professional or the hospital for negligence resulting in injury or death.