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​​Medical errors represent a significant challenge in American healthcare. According to Johns Hopkins research, medical mistakes may contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually in the United States. While most healthcare providers deliver excellent care, understanding the most common medical errors can help you protect yourself and your loved ones during medical treatment.
Medical errors impose substantial costs on the healthcare system, but the human impact on patients and families is immeasurable. Patients suffer prolonged illness, permanent disability, and emotional trauma from mistakes that could have been prevented. By learning about these common medical mistakes and how they happen, you can become a more informed patient and advocate for your own safety.
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Medical malpractice continues to be the third-leading cause of death across the United States. One in three medical professionals are sued for medical malpractice during their career and healthcare professionals make avoidable errors in upwards of 15% of all medical interventions. If a healthcare provider harmed you, you may have a claim for compensation.
Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis are the two most common forms of medical negligence. Misdiagnosis occurs when a medical provider fails to diagnose a condition properly. Delayed diagnosis happens when a healthcare professional fails to diagnose a patient in time.
When an incorrect or delayed diagnosis occurs, the patient loses valuable time to seek the correct treatment. Often, their condition worsens as the illness or injury progresses without their knowledge.
Some of the most common illnesses that are misdiagnosed or not diagnosed in time are cancers, vascular conditions (i.e., heart attacks), and infections. Women are the biggest population to be left untreated, as many doctors dismiss their symptoms.
Here’s an example of a misdiagnosis (and delayed diagnosis as a result of the misdiagnosis):
A patient goes to the emergency room complaining of rib pain and shortness of breath. Her doctor attributes the symptoms to a pulled muscle. He tells her to stretch, do yoga, and take medication for the pain. The doctor fails to investigate the source of her pain thoroughly. He does not order tests or scans despite her worsening condition. Months pass, and the patient’s symptoms become more severe. The doctor finally ordered a CT scan, which showed a mass in her lung. A biopsy confirms that she has stage 3 lung cancer.
Due to the delayed diagnosis, the cancer likely progressed to a later stage. This could mean the patient needs a more aggressive treatment plan and could lower her chances of survival in the long run.
A ‘failure to treat‘ medical malpractice claim occurs when a healthcare provider correctly diagnoses a condition but fails to provide the correct treatment for it. Suppose the doctor chooses an improper treatment, discharges a patient too soon, does not order follow-up care, or prescribes the wrong medication or dosage of a prescription drug. In that case, the patient’s condition may become worse and even life-threatening.
An example of an injured patient with a failure to treat medical malpractice claim is:
A patient goes to the hospital complaining of chest pain. Through a series of tests, the emergency room doctor confirms there is a partial blockage in the patient’s left anterior descending artery. Because it’s not a total blockage, the doctor prescribes the patient statins and sends him home. The patient’s condition worsens, and he returns to the hospital a week later, having a cardiac event. This time, he sees a different emergency room doctor. The new doctor performs an emergency bypass surgery on the patient’s heart, unclogging the blockage.
The difference in the two doctors’ treatment plans is where the medical malpractice claim lies. The first doctor failed to treat the blockage by removing it from the patient’s heart. It could be argued that if the patient’s blockage had been removed the first time he came into the hospital, he would have never experienced a heart attack.
If a doctor prescribes the wrong medication or incorrect dosage or fails to recognize serious or fatal medication interactions, it can be grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Prescription medical errors harm 1.5 million people annually, causing $3.5 billion in damages.
Here is a prescription error that would lead to a medical malpractice case:
A patient has high blood pressure and is prescribed medication to lower it. The pharmacy receives the script for the medication but accidentally dispenses a medication meant for a different condition. The patient takes the inappropriate medication. The patient suffers a severe allergic reaction to the incorrect medication and ends up in the emergency room.
Surgical errors happen when a medical provider fails to conduct surgery properly or perform unnecessary surgery on a patient. The most common surgical errors are:
Unfortunately, birth injuries are common even in modern medicine. They result from medical negligence during the mother’s pregnancy, during delivery, or even immediately postpartum. Common birth injuries include:
Let’s take a look at an example of a birth injury caused by malpractice:
Fetal monitoring indicates the mother’s baby is quite large, which can cause complications during delivery. Despite the signs, the doctor does not order a c-section and attempts to deliver the baby vaginally. During delivery, the baby’s shoulders become lodged in the birth canal (shoulder dystocia). To deliver the baby, the doctor uses excessive force with forceps, dislocates the baby’s collarbone, and puts pressure on the brachial plexus nerves in the baby’s neck. After delivery, the doctor discovers the baby suffers Erb’s palsy, which affects the nerves in the baby’s arm, causing paralysis and limited mobility.
Anesthesia error can cause excruciating physical pain to a patient during surgery. They can also cause nerve damage, blood clots, heart attack, stroke, and more. This type of medical negligence can cause extremely dangerous consequences for patients.
Types of anesthesia errors include:
If an anesthesiologist miscalculates the medication needed for a surgical patient, the patient may wake up during the surgery. Many times, even though the patient is aware during surgery, they remain paralyzed and unable to communicate. They can experience intense pain and psychological trauma.
1 in 31 patients develop hospital-acquired infections on any given day. These types of infections can lead to sepsis or death.
It is up to the medical team to monitor their patients, ensuring their white blood cell count remains normal, their temperature stays down, and they don’t display signs of an infection. When the medical team fails to do so, the patient’s fever may spike, their white blood cell count may elevate, and they may develop a serious infection that can be life-threatening.
Personal injury law surrounding medical malpractice claims is complicated. Each state has rules and regulations regarding caps on damages, statutes of limitations, and filing processes. One misstep could put your entire case in jeopardy.
An experienced medical malpractice lawyer will file your claim correctly and within the time limits of your state’s statute of limitations. They will investigate your claim, determine liability, negotiate with the insurance company, and pursue fair compensation. While no law states you need legal representation for a medical malpractice claim, your chances of recovering maximum compensation are significantly greater if you have an experienced attorney by your side. Contact Regan Zambri Long today for a free consultation.
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.