If you have been injured through the negligence or mistreatment by a medical provider, hospital or other medical personnel, you could have a legitimate medical malpractice case.

Why Should Medical Malpractice Concern Me?

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) says medical negligence has become the third leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, more than 200,000 Americans die because of errors committed by members of the healthcare community. Only heart disease and cancer cause more deaths.

Not all medical mistakes cause death, but they can cause disabilities, unanticipated medical bills, emotional suffering, additional time away from work and other negative impacts on a patient’s life.

JAMA also reports that 70 percent of malpractice lawsuits involved patients who underwent elective procedures; 69 percent involved work by a junior medical resident; and 55 percent cited a lack of direct supervision by an attending doctor.

What Types of Medical Mistakes Are Possible?

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare worker or facility fails to provide the recognized standard of care when treating a patient. All healthcare providers are expected to perform their area of expertise by doing  what a responsible similarly trained medical provider would do under the same circumstances. A medical mistake often means the medical provider was negligent and caused harm.

Some types of medical mistakes that can be deemed medical malpractice include:

Errors in Surgery. All surgeries are associated with certain risks, such as the potential for blood clots to form, but some risks should not exist. Reports of surgeons leaving instruments or gauze inside a patient’s body or even operating on the wrong limb have been reported. These and similar types of negligent errors are not within the realm of expected surgical risks.

Hospital Medication Error. According to the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP), “as many as 98,000 people die in any given year from medical errors that occur in hospitals. A significant number of those deaths is due to medication errors.” These preventable deaths could be related to a variety of problems in the system, including dispensing procedures, product labeling, packaging and monitoring problems at the healthcare facility, says the NCC MERP.

Misdiagnosis. If you have ever had symptoms and decided to conduct an online search of those symptoms, you are probably aware that many ailments start out with similar symptoms. When we go to a healthcare provider, we trust the doctor to provide us with a precise diagnosis. If a doctor’s assessment is not thorough, the doctor’s negligence could cost you precious time to resolve the underlying ailment.

How Can a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Memphis Help Me?

If you have been the victim of a medical error, the medical malpractice attorneys we recommend can help you navigate the system.

Doctors carry malpractice insurance because they know if they are found negligent, they can be held financially responsible for pain and suffering, subsequent medical care required to correct their mistake, loss of the patient’s wages and other repercussions.

To help you get started on the road to both medical and financial recovery, we recommend the experienced and trusted Memphis attorneys at Whitfield Bryson & Mason LLP.