The term medical malpractice is a blanket term that covers a wide variety of errors a physician could make. However, some mistakes are more common than others and are more likely to result in lawsuits. Here are the most common types of medical malpractice we see at our firm:

• Failure to diagnose: Failing to diagnose an illness that a competent doctor should be able to reasonably diagnose can result in a malpractice suit. This is especially true when the diagnosis could have lead to a better outcome for the patient.
• Misdiagnosis: Misdiagnosis occurs when a healthcare professional fails to determine the correct illness or disease, which ultimately results in injury or harm to the patient. Should the illness go untreated and further damage is done to the patient, it could result in a formal legal claim against the healthcare professional or facility.
• Improper Treatment: Improper treatment occurs when a physician uses a treatment option that a competent doctor would not recommend, and the treatment fails to treat the illness/causes further harm to the patient.
• Retained Foreign Objects: Should any medical device or instrument be left behind in the patient’s body after a surgery, it exposes them to medical malpractice claims on behalf of the patient. Surgeons and other health professionals have a duty to their patients to perform these difficult procedures without leaving behind foreign objects that were used to assist with the surgery itself. This can include a long list of medical instruments, including sponges used to assist with the process.
• Delay In Diagnosis occurs commonly in emergency settings, where a health professional has made a correct diagnosis, but failed to make such a diagnosis in a timely manner, resulting in injury or harm to the patient.
• Cerebral Palsy. This a brain injury that can result in a child’s lifelong inability to walk or live independently. Some, though not all, cases of cerebral palsy are due to medical negligence in the pre-delivery period.