Free Consultations 24/7
Home > Blog > 5 Common Causes...
When a patient suffers a serious injury or illness after being treated by a doctor or other healthcare professional, they often have two burning questions on their mind: When will I get better, and how could this have happened?
The answer to the first question can be difficult to determine and varies from patient to patient, while the answer to the second question is often a matter of narrowing down a few potential causes.
In our 90+ years of helping injured victims, we’ve become adept at quickly and accurately determining why some patients’ health worsens after treatment—especially when it was the result of negligent care.
Some patients experience a severe worsening of health and even die when their healthcare providers fail to exam them thoroughly enough to provide an accurate diagnosis. When patients complain of certain symptoms and complications, their doctors should do everything in their power to find out what’s causing those symptoms, including ordering blood tests, performing x-rays, and ordering CT scans and MRIs, if necessary.
Surgical errors make up a large percentage of medical malpractice claims, and for good reason. Every surgery carries risks, including death. Surgeons can reduce patient risks by being extremely careful, meticulous, and following all precautions. But they can also seriously injure patients when they rush through a procedure, don’t steady their hand, or leave surgical instruments and items inside patients’ bodies.
A thorough examination isn’t always enough to improve a patient’s odds of making a full recovery or at least ease their symptoms. Doctors must also consider their medical history, including which medications they’re currently taking, and whether a new prescription will interact badly with them. Having this information on hand when diagnosing a patient or coming up with a treatment plan is vital for success, but it isn’t always considered by doctors—especially when they are rushing to see many patients in a single day.
Prescription medications have the potential to dramatically improve the health and wellbeing of the patients who take them. But they also have the potential to seriously sicken them or cause them to suffer life-threatening complications. The key for doctors is to prescribe the right medications and at the proper dosages to treat patients without causing excessive side effects. Unfortunately, not all doctors take the time to prescribe medications safely. In other cases, medication-related injuries are caused by pharmacy errors.
Medicine is one of the most demanding professions. Both doctors and surgeons must focus for long periods, and they must be able to quickly recall enormous amounts of information to make proper diagnoses and decisions. When healthcare providers are impaired in any way, whether it’s from alcohol consumption, drug usage, or even sleep deprivation, their patients’ health may suffer unnecessarily. In some cases, hospitals and other healthcare facilities can be held liable when providers are overworked and fatigued to the point of making preventable mistakes.
Although the five reasons for medical malpractice listed above explain many cases, there are other potential causes of preventable health problems and injuries at the hands of doctors, surgeons, and other providers. As Ohio medical malpractice lawyers, it’s our job to investigate cases when injured patients contact us. We collect evidence that proves patients were harmed by medical professionals they should have been able to trust, and then we find out exactly who is liable and how they were negligent.
If you suspect that you or someone you love is the victim of medical malpractice, we want to hear from you. Our legal team has the experience and track record of success you need on your side to get maximum compensation for your injury or illness caused by a careless provider. Contact Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy today for a free consultation.
Mar
25, 2024
Even when maintained, set up, and operated safely, semi-trucks still pose risks to both their drivers and other drivers on Ohio’s roads. That’s because they outweigh the average passenger vehicle 20:1. Unfortunately, semi-trucks aren’t always hooked up properly or safely, and when they aren’t, devastating accidents can occur. One of the most dangerous events that […]
18, 2024
Patients are often required to sign release forms before undergoing many types of medical treatments, from major surgeries to minor outpatient procedures. These forms are intended to acknowledge the patient’s consent to the procedure and understanding of the risks involved. However, many patients wonder whether these release forms protect doctors, surgeons, and hospitals from malpractice […]
11, 2024
Proving medical malpractice is notoriously difficult. That’s because every patient is different, and bad outcomes can happen even when doctors, surgeons, and other healthcare providers are thorough, attentive, and follow all protocols and guidelines when treating patients. In addition to being difficult to prove, doctors, surgeons, and other providers rarely admit to malpractice when it […]
04, 2024
When people are hospitalized, they and their loved ones expect for them to get better. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen, and sometimes, their health declines because they contract diseases that are primarily found in hospitals. One of the most dreaded hospital-related illnesses is an intestinal illness caused by a bacteria called Clostridioides difficile, or C. […]
Feb
26, 2024
One of the most common traffic violations committed by any driver is driving with a burned-out headlight, taillight, brake light, or turn signal. While these traffic violations can be dangerous for drivers of pickup trucks, sedans, and SUVs, they can be extremely hazardous for drivers of semi-trucks—and the people driving near them. Burned out semi-truck […]
Accessibility Tools