Medical malpractice is all too common these days even with the technology and knowledge available to doctors and other medical professionals. If there is a type of personal injury that can change your life in an instant it is medical malpractice. The most severe cases end in death, which can tear a family to pieces. You might not even know if you were the victim of medical malpractice, that’s why our Hawaii medical malpractice attorney wants to share some common signs of this legal issue with you in today’s post.
Surgical Errors
Quite possibly the most common sign of medical malpractice is an error with surgery. Whether you were the victim or it was a loved one you need to know what to be on the lookout for when it comes to surgical errors. Common surgical errors that lead to medical malpractice lawsuits include the following:
- Surgeon operated on the wrong patient
- Surgeon operated on the wrong part of the body
- Surgeon-performed the wrong type of surgery
- Surgeon left a piece of equipment or other types of debris inside the body
- Surgeon did not close the area correctly
- Surgical tools were not properly sterilized
Understaffing That Leads to Neglect
Understaffing is a big issue that hospitals all over Hawaii are dealing with on a regular basis right now. When a hospital is understaffed it can lead to a host of different problems, one of which can lead to neglect. Neglect of a patient is a clear medical malpractice violation that can lead to a lawsuit. Neglect can cause a patient to suffer various medical issues, including but not limited to the following:
Bed Sores
- Lack of medication
- Lack of treatment
- Delay in emergency response
- Delay in providing oxygen
Mistreatment That Leads to Death
One of the most glaring signs of medical malpractice is the death of a loved one due to mistreatment. The death could have been caused by neglect, which would make it fall under both of these categories. It could also have been caused by abuse, performing the wrong surgery, lack of medication, over medication, or malnutrition.
Informed Consent is Lacking
Every patient scheduled for a surgical procedure is rightfully due to an explanation of the surgery before signing the paperwork approving it. This is what is known as informed consent. Once the patient is properly informed of the surgery, how it will happen, what it will do, possible side effects of the procedure and the recovery time the patient can then sign an informed consent form. If the surgeon performs the surgery without providing enough information to the patient and something goes wrong it can lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit due to a lack of informed consent.
Failure to Diagnose
Have you been feeling ill of late? Did you go to a doctor but still haven’t experienced any relief? If so, you might be dealing with something more serious. Then, months later, you are diagnosed with a disease. This is what is known as failure to diagnose. It can lead to an untimely or unexpected death if the disease is not caught soon enough and the symptoms were present.
Do you believe you are the victim of medical malpractice in Hawaii? Contact the law office of Kurzban, Kurzban, Tetzeli and Pratt, P.A. at 808-736-5035 to schedule a consultation.