An Overview of Medical Malpractice

When it comes to medical treatment, there is no room for guesswork and errors.

Still, thousands of people fall victim to medical negligence in United States. Many of these affected individuals are unaware of their legal rights and fail to get compensation for the losses they have suffered. In light of this, we have compiled this simple guide to help people get a better understanding of medical malpractice.

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical professionals and caregivers such as doctors, nurses, and surgeons are supposed to administer treatment that meets a reasonable standard of care. If the level of care falls below the standards, or doctors commit certain errors in diagnosing a disease or administering the right kind of treatment, it often amounts to medical malpractice. If you have been injured or your health has deteriorated as a result of the treatment provided by a doctor, you may be a victim of medical malpractice.

What is Medical Misdiagnosis?

Failure to diagnose a medical condition due to the error of medical equipment or medical professionals is known as medical misdiagnosis. It falls into two categories. Delayed diagnosis is when the medical condition is either wrongly diagnosed or not diagnosed at all, and it leads to deterioration of the condition because timely treatment could not be administered. Failure to diagnose includes ignoring or missing symptoms that may help correct diagnosis. It may cause a doctor to start treatment too soon, or giving an inappropriate treatment.

Are You a Victim of Medical Malpractice?

The following questions can help you determine if you have been a victim of medical malpractice:

Did your physician fail to disclose important information about your medical condition?
Did you suffer an injury under the care of a health care provider?
Did the prescribed medication cause harm to you?
Did your health suffer because you were not provided timely treatment, or your condition was not diagnosed correctly?
Did your condition deteriorate because you were not referred to the correct specialist?
Did your condition worsen because you were discharged from the hospital too soon?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, you may be a victim of medical malpractice.

What Should Victims of Medical Malpractice Do?

Medical malpractice cases are quite complicated, and require sound knowledge of anatomy, medical procedures, and of course, medical malpractice law. If you feel that you have been a victim of medical malpractice, get in touch with a qualified medical malpractice lawyer.

If you have been a victim of medical malpractice in Missouri or Illinois, contact the Zevan and Davidson Law Firm. Our legal team has over 20 years of experience helping medical malpractice victims getting the answers and compensation they deserve. Call us today at (314) 588-7200 to schedule a free and private consultation with a St. Louis medical malpractice lawyer.

photo credit: phalinn