Beware of Medical Negligence

What is Medical Negligence?

• Medical negligence is an alternative phrase or term for medical malpractice. Both, medical malpractice and medical negligence refer to medical care that is tarnished through the delivery of a negligent action or the failure to deliver respectable medical care to a patient in need. When instances of medical negligence occur, the victim (injured party) is often able to seek a financial settlement through the initiation of a legal action. These cases are commonly aligned with negligent tort claims or personal injury laws.

• Throughout the United States, all individuals are legally entitled to receive a certain standard of health care. Medical negligence arises, when a medical professional (such as a physician or doctor) fails to adhere to these general standards. These actions typically occur as a result of irresponsible or erroneous action as a result of negligence or fraudulent behavior.

What Actions are Considered Medical Negligence?

• A faulty diagnosis or a procedure that directly leads to the injury of a patient is the most generic forms of medical negligence. These occurrences are typically caused or precipitated by inadequate skill, care, or speed; the standards of care that all medical professionals must adhere to are based on a simple premise: the physician must do all in his or her power to provide suitable treatment to the patient to effectively treat or rehabilitate the individual.

• Any individual who is involved with the care of a patient is susceptible to medical malpractice or medical negligent charges. This includes nurses, physicians, therapists, psychologists, and any individual who provides psychological care or care for a patient.

Actions taken when an Issue of Medical Negligence Arises?

• When issues of medical negligence arise, the actions of the accused physician or medical professional are often evaluated against the levels of competency and overall professionalism of their peers in similar circumstances. For example, a brain surgeon will be held to a universal standard of other brain surgeons; the universal procedures are used for evaluation purposes to deem whether an action was considered negligent.

• Medical negligence is not a tool used by individuals who are unhappy with their medical treatment. Medical negligence suits are available only to those individuals who are injured or experienced physical damage as a result of their physician or medical provider’s actions. That being said, the actions do not have to be direct; a misdiagnosis or a faulty description which later damages the patient can be grounds for medical negligence.

What to do if you are a victim of Medical Negligence?

• Those individuals who have experienced physical damage (injuries, emotional pain, and wrongful death) as a result of a physician’s negligent or wrongful actions should immediately seek the aid of a medical malpractice attorney. Before hiring a medical malpractice attorney, be sure to gather all documents (doctor bills, proof of lost wages, appointment slips, prescriptions, etc.) that support your claim. Once the documents have been gathered you can file a medical negligence suit at your district’s court house. The trial is similar to a personal injury case or negligent tort claim.

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