Many people misunderstand how medical malpractice works. These common myths can prevent you from receiving compensation for injuries if a healthcare provider fails to provide the appropriate care.
Review the factors about these often-repeated medical malpractice misconceptions.
Frivolous malpractice claims are common
On the contrary, fewer than 3% of patients affected by medical malpractice file a lawsuit according to a report from the Center for Justice and Democracy’s Civil Justice Resource Group. Among the patients who do file a claim, most settle out of court and fewer than 1% actually go to trial.
Most lawsuits address minor injuries
In fact, the majority of legal claims for malpractice result from serious injuries causing long-term disability. The plaintiff must show that a healthcare provider’s negligence directly caused additional medical expenses, loss of function such as inability to work, and other physical and emotional effects of the injury such as depression, anxiety, and relationship difficulties.
Medical malpractice only occurs in the operating room
While we may think of surgery when we picture a dangerous malpractice incident, hazards related to negligence can occur at almost any point in the healthcare process. Examples of types of malpractice include medication administration errors, failure to recognize symptoms or order diagnostic techs, discharging a patient from care too early, failure to follow up with a patient as needed, and incorrectly reading lab results. Surgeries can also result in malpractice incidents, such as wrong-site procedures.
Seek help if you or a family member experienced a serious injury or died after insufficient medical care. You may be able to recover the cost of treatment, pain and suffering, and other compensation.