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Civil Litigation Attorneys

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Common types of medical malpractice claims

On Behalf of | Aug 27, 2019 | Medical Malpractice

When people in Ohio go in for a medical procedure, they trust that the healthcare team is competent and will do their jobs the right way. While medical providers strive to do their best in every situation, unfortunately mistakes do occur. When this happens and it causes harm to the patient, the patient may choose to file a medical malpractice claim.

The Collegian discusses some of the most common reasons patients or their family members file malpractice claims. Errors relating to medication are typical. Some of the errors include administering the improper dose, giving medication to the wrong patient or prescribing two medications that interact harmfully.

Misdiagnosis is a common medical error that occurs in over 30% of malpractice claims. The doctor may give a diagnosis too late or miss it completely, and this occurs most often in cases of blood clots, infections, tumors and heart conditions.

Surgical errors, such as leaving equipment inside the body, operating on the wrong body part or anesthesia mistakes, are also common causes of malpractice claims. Injuries that occur during childbirth are as well, and some of these include:

  • Fractures
  • Brain injuries
  • Nerve injuries
  • Paralysis 

According to Forbes, the majority of doctors face at least one malpractice claim during the course of their careers. In fact, 75% of low-risk specialty doctors and around 99% of high-risk specialists have been the focus of a malpractice claim. Patients who want to find out if their doctor has faced litigation can search in a number of places. These include:

  • Administrators in Medicine
  • State Medical Boards
  • Court records
  • State Department of Health Services
  • Online search

Just because a doctor has had a malpractice claim does not mean he or she was guilty or did anything wrong. It helps to do some research before making a judgment call.