subject: Examples Of Common Types Of Medical Malpractice Injuries [print this page] There are many different injuries that can be caused by medical malpractice. One of the most common types is birth injury. Birth injuries can arise due to complications during childbirth, leading to injury or injury to the infant or mother. Death or serious injury may occur due to a physician's failure to provide adequate prenatal care to the mother, as well as proper care during delivery. Examples of medical malpractice injuries during childbirth include:
Failure to conduct blood tests designed to identify fetal abnormalities;
Failure to provide proper prenatal care;
Failure to perform a Caesarian section delivery when required for the safety and health of the baby or mother;
Rushing the delivery process, with the result of the baby being born breech and with broken bones;
Failure to provide proper medical care to a baby born prematurely.
As a result of the medical malpractice examples provided above, a baby can suffer many serious injuries. Some examples of birth injuries include cerebral palsy, Erb's palsy or brachial palsy, facial paralysis, or clavicle fracture. Death of the baby is also a possible result of medical malpractice injuries in many instances.
Surgery is another area that is commonplace out of which medical malpractice injuries and claims may arise. Typically such claims are caused by a failure to engage in proper pre-operative planning or care. The result can be disastrous, often leading to serious, life-altering injuries or death. Surgical injuries may be caused by the improper administration of anesthesia, performing the surgery poorly and below the acceptable standard of care, puncturing or cutting internal organs, performing the operation on the wrong body part, operating on the wrong patient, leaving surgical instruments inside the patient after sewing the patient up, or failing to identify and treat post-operative infections. As a result of such negligence, a patient may suffer from blindness, asphyxia, paralysis, injury to the organs, brain injuries, amputation, cardiovascular injuries, coma, or death.
Other surgery related negligence that gives rise to medical malpractice injuries and claims involves the necessary sterile environment that is vital during surgical procedures. Specifically, it is imperative that a sterile environment is maintained throughout a surgical procedure to avoid infections or bleeding from occurring. If infection results, the consequences can be fatal to the patient. Using the wrong blood type during blood transfusions can also cause serious infection.
Misdiagnosis or the failure to diagnose a disease is also a common medical malpractice injury. These types of cases typically involve serious, often fatal diseases, where a failure to timely diagnose the disease can be the difference between life and death. Cancer is a perfect example where a failure to properly or timely diagnose the disease could be a death sentence to the patient. Failing to order medical tests, follow a patient closely, or recognize the telltale signs of a disorder are all examples of this type of malpractice. The result of a failure to diagnose a serious disease or condition in a patient, as well as a misdiagnosis, may lead to serious disease, chronic pain and often death.
by: Sunil Punjabi
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