Medical malpractice claims often arise from misdiagnosis, medication errors or surgery mistakes. Physicians have a duty to follow accepted standards of care when treating their patients. Frivolous lawsuits have driven up WA Top Doctor Malpractice insurance premiums and limited patient access to health care. This report explores ways to achieve meaningful reform and reduce the costs of liability claims.

Doctor Misdiagnosis

Doctor misdiagnosis is a serious medical mistake that can lead to serious medical complications and potentially cause life-threatening harm for patients. This can include diagnosing a patient with the wrong condition or failing to recognize that symptoms may be indicative of a serious illness.

Healthcare providers have a duty to follow the accepted standards of care when performing diagnostic tests and interpreting those results. When a physician fails to meet this standard of care and causes a patient injury, the victim can file a malpractice claim.

A successful claim will require that the plaintiff prove that there was a doctor-patient relationship and that the healthcare provider breached this duty by not following the accepted standard of care. The plaintiff must also prove that the breach directly caused them to suffer injury. This can be done through expert testimonies and other evidence, such as hospital records or medical charts. If the victim is a minor, parents or legal guardians can file a malpractice claim on their behalf.

Medication Errors

Medication errors can cause serious medical complications, such as severe allergic reactions or dangerous drug interactions. They may occur at any stage of the medication process, including prescribing, dispensing and administering. They are common in hospitals, clinics, surgery centers and even pharmacies.

Prescription errors can include prescribing the wrong medication or a drug that is not appropriate for a patient’s condition. Dispensing errors include giving the wrong medication or incorrect dosages, as well as transcribing errors that result in incorrect information on medication labels or records. Administration errors include administering drugs at the wrong speed or frequency, such as injecting anesthesia too quickly.

Doctors must clearly explain the risks associated with a procedure or medication, as well as the alternative options available. Failure to do so is a breach of the duty of care and could lead to malpractice claims. A malpractice claim can compensate you for lost income, medical expenses, emotional trauma and physical pain and suffering.

Surgery Errors

Surgeons must adhere to strict medical standards during surgery, and when they fail, patients suffer. Surgical errors such as leaving sponges, surgical instruments, or other foreign objects inside the body can lead to severe infections, unnecessary surgeries, and prolonged hospital stays.

These mistakes are often preventable with adequate facility procedures, proper patient identification protocols, and open communication between surgeons and other medical staff. However, due to the high volume of surgeries that surgeons perform in a day, they may become distracted or desensitized to the seriousness of these risks.

Surgical injuries such as infected wounds and nerve damage can leave patients with lasting physical problems like chronic pain, numbness, or impaired movement. A Washington medical malpractice attorney could help injured patients obtain maximum compensation for their losses. These claims typically include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, future needs, and pain and suffering. Punitive damages may also be awarded in cases involving egregious negligence and reckless misconduct by medical professionals.

Birth Injury

It can be devastating for an expecting mother and her newborn to suffer injuries as a result of medical negligence during labor and delivery. This includes failing to diagnose or properly treat pregnancy complications, making mistakes during a C-section, and administering the wrong amount of general or regional anesthesia.

The brain requires a constant supply of blood and oxygen to function normally, and when obstetrical complications interrupt this supply it can cause permanent damage in a very short amount of time. This is known as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and when better care could have prevented HIE, it is considered medical malpractice.

The brain can also sustain damage from excessive pulling or twisting during a difficult birth. This is called shoulder dystocia and it can lead to permanent disabilities like cerebral palsy. It can also lead to more severe conditions like Erb’s palsy which causes limited movement or paralysis of the arm. This condition often results from a C-section and is considered medical malpractice.