Medical negligence is one of the leading causes of patient death in the U.S., according to the Journal of the American Medical Association or JAMA. It happens when a health care professional is negligent in his/her duties, wherein that negligence leads to patient harm, injury or in extreme cases, death.
Common examples
Negligence in hospital settings often involve the following forms:
- Doctor misdiagnosed a patient’s condition
- Doctor fails to diagnose the condition in time
- Doctor missed the symptoms leading to incorrect diagnosis
- Doctor carried out an unnecessary surgery
- Treatment is delayed and the patient’s condition worsens
- Patient receives the wrong treatment or wrong incorrect dosage of medication
- Nurse fails to do proper testing and patient has an allergic reaction to medication
- Patient undergoing surgery is given the wrong dosage of anesthesia
- Lack of proper follow-up or aftercare
Damages
If you have grounds for a medical negligence case, file a claim to get the damages you’re entitled to. Some of these should include:
- General damages. This refers to the cost of the suffering you went through because of the injury. Though it’s impossible to put a price to that, it typically covers loss of enjoyment of life, physical along with mental suffering and pain and the loss of your ability to work and provide services in the future.
- Special damages. This covers your medical bills along with any work or business you missed in the past. Your future rehabilitation costs might also be covered.
- Punitive damages. This refers to situations when health care professionals intentionally put the patient’s life at risk.
Legal Help
Don’t take on the legal system on your own. Ask for help, says Kenny, Chase and Costa. Hire the services of a medical malpractice attorney in Princeton NJ. With legal assistance, you have a better chance at winning your case.
