What are the Common Types of Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor or any other healthcare professional breaches their duty of care to a patient and that breach results in injury or death. Fortunately, these cases happen on fairly rare occasions; but when they do occur, they can have devastating consequences. Like many others, you may wonder what type of treatments might be the cause for medical malpractice.
When Cosmetic Surgery gives Rise to Medical Malpractice
The prevalence of cosmetic surgery is higher in the United States than any other country. About 14 million people in the country get cosmetic surgery every year, or 40 out of every 1,000 people. In the UK, a 2012 study found that facelifts, breast surgery, nose reductions, eyelid operations, and weight-loss procedures accounted for 80 percent of the increasing number of legal actions against cosmetic surgeons. In 2000, the total amount spent on medical malpractice insurance was $6.4 billion.
C-Section Injuries and What You need to Know about Them
Any parent would be devastated to know that their baby has suffered injury or has a medical complication because of c-section mistakes. Healthcare professionals and doctors in the delivery room have a fantastic responsibility of safe and sound delivery of an infant.
New York State Laws for Wrongful Death Due to Medical Malpractice
In New York State, a wrongful death case can be pursued by the deceased person’s family member in a manner, which the deceased person could have pursued in court had that person been alive.
Medication errors can be particularly dangerous
Doctors in New York and around the country often have extremely poor handwriting, but pharmacists generally do a good job of deciphering what they have written and most prescriptions are filled correctly. However, when prescriptions are not filled properly, the consequences can be fatal.
Patients fare better when more nurses are on duty
Hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities in New York and around the country are finding it increasingly difficult to hire registered nurses. The shortage of qualified nurses is a nationwide problem, and it is expected to become worse in the coming years as the baby boom generation continues to retire in ever greater numbers. Projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that more than 500,000 new registered nurses will be needed in the United States by 2022.
C-section anesthesia complications fall while others rise
Many New York mothers-to-be may be planning to deliver via a cesarean section. A study showed that complications due to anesthesia given in C-sections fell by 25 percent between 2003 and 2012 in New York hospitals. However, non-anesthetic perioperative complications rose by about 50 percent.
Medical errors cause far too many deaths
New Yorkers who have recently spent time hospitalized may be dismayed to learn that studies have found 200,000 to 400,000 deaths happen annually as a result of preventable errors in hospitals around the country. In addition to the emotional costs to loved ones, medical mistakes are estimated to cost upwards of $15 billion annually in expenses such as patient care and prescription drug services.
Medical Malpractice Surrounding Doctor’s Failure to Detect Fetal Distress
When an unborn baby suffers fetal distress inside the mother’s womb, this phenomenon typically indicates that the baby is not getting adequate oxygen supply. The fetal monitoring strip, used by a New York hospital’s medical staff to monitor a baby’s heart, guides the obstetrician and supporting staff when to deliver the baby.
Lack of concern over medication errors from pharmacies
When New York residents pick up their prescription medication from their local pharmacy, they expect to be given the correct prescription and the correct amount. However, some individuals find that when pharmacies make mistakes, staff members and management often fail to respond to individuals’ concerns.