7 Common Medical Malpractice Claim Types in Florida

Most of us take our health and wellness for granted. When medical conditions do arise, we take comfort in the availability of top medical facilities. Unfortunately, however, doctors sometimes make mistakes that seriously affect the health and well-being of their patients.

Curious about how medical malpractice can occur?  Here are some common medical malpractice claim types in Florida:

Childbirth Complications and Injuries

Treatment before or after the birth process can lead to a medical malpractice claim. Damage to tissue and organs of a newborn baby can result from trauma during the birth process. There can also be long term consequences to a child due to negligent prenatal treatment or delivery, including brain damage, paralysis and even death.  Sometimes, the improper use of various tools in childbirth can cause injuries. Mothers can also suffer serious medical problems as a result of negligent prenatal care or delivery procedures.

Improper Medication / Prescription Drug Errors

When doctors prescribe medication, they are responsible for following certain medical procedures and standards. The wrong medication can have serious, even fatal, consequences.  Some common errors include prescribing the wrong medication or wrong dosage, prescribing a medication that a patient is allergic to, prescribing a medication that interacts negatively with other medications the patient is taking or failing to warn of common side effects.

Failure to Diagnose

If a reasonably competent doctor would be expected to diagnose a certain medical condition but your doctor fails to do so, he or she may have committed medical malpractice. Many conditions and diseases can become serious if there is a delay in diagnosis, so a failure to diagnose can have serious consequences on your overall health and life expectancy.

Misdiagnosis

Similar to failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis is another type of medical malpractice.  Misdiagnosis is the failure to accurately diagnose your medical condition or disease.  This can cause your true medical condition to go untreated, and it can also create additional medical problems due to possible side effects and complications of medications and medical procedures that are unnecessary.

Surgical Errors

Surgical errors are one of the most common and dangerous ways medical malpractice can occur.  Common types of surgical errors involve operating on the wrong body part, performing the wrong procedure or leaving a foreign object like a sponge or towel inside the patient’s body. Surgical errors can cause highly expensive and dangerous complications.

Improper Anesthesia

During surgery, the anesthesiologist is responsible for controlling your pain.  The anesthesiologist is also responsible for monitoring and controlling your breathing, blood pressure, blood flow, and heart rate and rhythm. If done improperly, you can experience great pain, shock, or even death.

If you believe you or a loved one has suffered due to medical malpractice, contact the experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Baggett Law for a free consultation. 904.396.1100