8 Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice Cases in Boca Raton
Gregg Hollander | May 8, 2023 | Medical Malpractice
A recent study by Johns Hopkins Medicine estimated that as many as 250,000 people die yearly due to medical errors and mistakes. Medical malpractice occurs so frequently that a 2022 article found that one out of three medical providers will be sued for malpractice at least once in their careers.
Medical malpractice is a broad term, however, and covers a wide variety of negligent care and conduct. In Boca Raton, medical malpractice is most likely to manifest in one of several predictable ways.
Common Forms of Medical Malpractice
If you or a loved one experienced any of the following while receiving care from a Boca Raton medical provider, you may be the victim of medical malpractice:
1. Misdiagnosis
Receiving appropriate care begins with obtaining an accurate diagnosis. Despite the advent of impressive medical tests, imaging machines, and other technologies, your doctor or medical team are human and can make an incorrect diagnosis. This can result in wasted time in treating a non-existent condition.
2. Failure to Diagnose
Alternatively, medical professionals can fail to notice a condition or diagnose an illness. This situation may lead to further injury while the condition goes untreated and progresses.
3. Operating on the Wrong Body Part
If proper precautions are not taken, surgeons can easily mistake which body part or organ they are supposed to be operating on. Operating on the wrong kidney could deprive you of the use of both of your kidneys, for example.
4. Foreign Object Left in the Body
Surgeons must also be careful that they have removed all foreign objects from the surgery site before suturing up your surgical wounds. This includes gauze, packing material, and surgical tools used during the procedure.
5. Failure to Prevent Infections
A doctor’s office or a hospital must take reasonable measures to prevent infections from spreading to you and other patients. These steps include using sterile equipment, cleaning up spills of biological material quickly and appropriately, and regularly cleaning high-contact surfaces.
6. Anesthesia Mistakes
Anesthesia helps patients feel more comfortable during surgical procedures, and it allows surgeons to work on a patient who is sedated.
Anesthesia must be carefully administered by a properly trained professional, and this professional must constantly monitor your vital signs during the operation. Otherwise, serious injury or death could result.
7. Medication Errors
Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications are safe for most people. However, individuals with specific health conditions should not take certain medications. Similarly, some medicines should not be taken by people who are also taking certain other drugs.
Your medical professional must keep your health history and medication list in mind when prescribing new medicines, or else you could suffer harm.
8. Birth Injuries
Although the birth of a child is a joyous occasion, it can also be a complicated procedure. Not only must the mother’s vital signs be monitored, but doctors and nurses must also monitor the child’s heart rate and breathing before, during, and after delivery.
This monitoring is essential, as it enables medical staff to step in and perform an emergency procedure in the event of danger to the mother or child.
Other Forms of Medical Malpractice in Florida
The above eight examples are some of the most common forms of medical malpractice in Boca Raton. However, medical negligence can take many forms and is not limited to acts or omissions in an operating room or performed by a doctor.
In any medical setting, be alert and ask questions about unfamiliar procedures or uncomfortable feelings you may have. Doctors, nurses, and others in the medical field are all human and, therefore, capable of making mistakes.
Contact Our Medical Malpractice Law Firm in South Florida
If you’ve been injured in an accident, please contact our experienced personal injury lawyers in Florida at Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today. We have three convenient locations in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
We proudly serve Palm Beach County, Broward County, and its surrounding areas:
Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers – Boca Raton Law Office
7000 W Palmetto Park Rd #500
Boca Raton, FL 33433
(561) 347-7770
Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers – Fort Lauderdale Law Office
200 S.E. 6th Street #203
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 287-0566
Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers – West Palm Beach Law Office
319 Clematis St #203
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 556-7873