An error made by a medical professional can lead to catastrophic injuries or a worsened condition that leaves you with a poor prognosis. In turn, you might find yourself struggling with unbearable physical pain and suffering, mental and psychological turmoil, and additional financial losses that you can’t absorb. These overwhelming stressors can create uncertainty about the future and worry about how you’re going to get by.
A medical malpractice lawsuit might provide you with some relief here, but it’s going to require that you present compelling and persuasive evidence that shows how your medical provider deviated from the applicable standard of care. That’s easier said than done, but you can start building your case by gaining a better understanding of how medical malpractice occurs. That way you’ll know where you can look to find evidence to support your case.
Common causes of medical malpractice
There are several factors that can contribute to medical negligence. This includes:
- Burnout: Due to increased patient volume, doctors are left with more administrative duties tied to electronic medical records and less facetime with their patients. This, along with common stressors in the profession and work-life balance challenges, lead to burnout. Those medical professionals who experience burnout can lose focus, become fatigued, and even turn to substance abuse to cope with their struggles. Any of these issues can put you in harm’s way.
- Poor judgment: In many instances, medical malpractice is caused by poor clinical judgment. To try to expedite patient care, a medical professional might fail to take down a patient’s medical history, or they might rush a physical examination. A doctor might also choose to forego certain testing to save time and money, which could result in a missed diagnosis or a misdiagnosis.
- Bad communication: To provide you with safe and effective care, your medical team has to successfully communicate. When notes are improperly entered into your medical records, or messages aren’t passed to your doctor, then you could wind up missing out on the care and treatment that you need, or you could be given a medication or surgical procedure that was unnecessary.
- Lack of consent: Before moving forward with a course of treatment, your doctor should thoroughly explain it and its potential side effects to you. They should also advise you of alternative methods of treatment, explaining the risks and benefits of them all. Only after receiving this information can you make a decision that’s right for you. If your doctor didn’t give you this information before providing you with treatment, then they might be on the hook for any resulting injuries that are caused to you.
- Lack of training and experience: We like to think that doctors know what they’re doing, and in most instances they do. But despite their years of training and education, some doctors and nurses still lack the technical skills necessary to safely care for their patients. When reviewing your medical records and your circumstances, it might become clear that your medical provider simply didn’t know how to perform the task at hand, thus resulting in your injuries or worsened condition.
Build the robust medical malpractice claim you need
When you’re harmed by medical malpractice, you need compensation to cover your losses, advance your recovery, and find accountability. But the process can be fraught with complications. If you don’t know how to handle them, then you could be at risk of missing out on the recovery that you deserve.
With that in mind, now is the time to start building your case and surrounding yourself with the support that you need. We know that can seem daunting, but you can and will get through this, hopefully with the resources you need to reclaim your health and your normal life.