What is medical malpractice?

Medical malpractice is negligence committed by a health care provider, such as a doctor or nurse, whose treatment of a patient departs from the acceptable standard of care met by those with similar training and experience, resulting in injury to a patient or patients.

Does someone who is not satisfied with the results of his or her surgery have a malpractice case?

In general, there are no guarantees of medical results, and unsuccessful results do not always mean that negligence has occurred. To succeed in a medical malpractice case, a plaintiff must show that an injury occurred as a direct result of the doctor's deviation from the acceptable standard of care.

What should I do if a think I have a medical malpractice claim?

You should talk to a lawyer who specializes in such cases immediately. Tell the attorney exactly what happened and why you think the health care provider was negligent in causing your injury. If possible, you should obtain your medical records and bring them to your first meeting with the attorney. There are time limits governing how long someone may bring a medical malpractice claim, so time is of the essence.

What are some common medical errors that might result in a medical malpractice claim?

Medical malpractice can occur in many forms, including misdiagnosis of some disease or condition, failure to inform the patient of the risks inherent with a certain procedure or drug, prescribing the wrong medication for a specific illness, or negligently performing a procedure.

What percentage of hospital patients become victims of medical mistakes?

Approximately 3% of all hospital patients are victims of medical mistakes. A 1999 Recent U.S. Healthcare Industry Survey estimated that between 44,000 and 98,000 patients die each year as a result of medical errors. Of that number, 7,000 patients died as a result of prescription errors or drug dispensing errors.