When people seek medical help, they should never have to worry that medical staff will do more harm than good. While most doctors and nurses practice excellent medicine, malpractice does occur. Why does medical malpractice injure so many people? Can anything be done to prevent it from happening?

In this post, we will look at top reasons for medical malpractice litigation.

Surgical mistakes

A patient’s body is vulnerable during surgery and a lot can go wrong. A small slip of the scalpel is enough to cause hemorrhaging, permanent muscle damage, or infection. More lawsuits are filed against surgeons than any other type of physician. In fact, half of all surgeons have been sued more than once.

Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis

If a doctor fails to accurately diagnose an injury or illness, a patient can receive treatment that makes the true problem worse. A delay in treatment can significantly worsen outcomes – and even result in death.

Test failures

When testing equipment does not work properly or does not provide accurate information, it can jeopardize the health of anyone it tests. Medical staff needs to check equipment regularly to ensure that test results are accurate.

Lack of information

Doctors need to properly inform their patients about their condition and any medical decisions they may need to make. When patients do not understand the risks of medication or treatment, they may not be ready to suffer the lifelong consequences of their choices. This lack of information can lead to patients suing doctors for not telling them about all risks and options. This is called lack of informed consent.

General neglect

When medical staff works on the same types of cases day in and day out, they can become complacent and make simple mistakes such as not double-checking crucial information such as medication dosages. No one should suffer lifelong consequences because someone took a shortcut in their job.