Do You Qualify for Social Security Disability?

Do You Qualify for Social Security Disability?

Common Negligent Medical Mistakes That May Lead to Malpractice Claims

Deann Miles

When people need medical attention, they expect doctors to look after them and act professionally. However, mistakes do occur, as doctors are people too. In some cases the mistakes couldn't be helped, but in some cases mistakes do lead to malpractice claims. Here are the most common negligent medical mistakes you need to be aware of, some of which have caused harm to 1.5 million people in the United States, according to a study in 2006.

Mixing Up the Patients

Despite various checks to make sure doctors are treating the right patients, there are times when patients are mixed up despite the use of patient records and wristband systems to prevent mix-ups like this from happening. This is why it is not uncommon for medical staff to ask your name and birthday every time they enter the room.

Misdiagnosing Conditions

There are times that misdiagnosis is a genuine mistake, but sometimes a misdiagnosis is due to negligence. Doctors may not listen to all the patients' symptoms or may have a diagnosis in mind and refuse to budge. Getting the wrong diagnoses can lead to unnecessary treatments and to the real condition getting worse. In some cases, the treatments can aggravate the real condition.

Injuring Newborns

Birth is a wonderful thing, but it also opens the mother and baby up to possible negligence from medical personnel. Women may have unnecessary c-sections or not get c-sections when necessary, and this puts babies and sometimes mothers at risk. Some negligence claims related to labor and delivery involve brain injuries and fractured bones in babies, dangerous bleeds in women, and failure to diagnosis and treat pre-eclampsia quickly enough.

Leaving Objects After Surgery

There are stories of people walking away with items in their bodies after surgery. In many cases, these items are found because they cause both rejection of the surgical procedure and infection. Statistics show surgeons leave objects inside of patients more than a dozen times a day.

Losing Patients

This is not about death during surgery or time in a hospital, but physically losing a patient. This is common with people with dementia or young, explorative children. People start to wander without alerting staff to their whereabouts. They can get into trouble, sometimes wandering into places of extreme temperatures or suffering from dehydration because they are not attached to drips.

Medical negligence is a serious problem, and there are numerous malpractice claims in the United States every year. The above reasons are just some of the main reasons for malpractice claims from mistakes that you should be aware of. 

For more information about filing claims about this type of personal injury, talk to a law firm such as Schlicter & Schonack LLP


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2024© Do You Qualify for Social Security Disability?
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Do You Qualify for Social Security Disability?

If you are unable to work because of an illness or injury, you may qualify for social security disability payments. This money comes from a fund you have probably contributed to during your time in the work force, and it is likely that you have the right to disability payments using this money. As an attorney specializing in social security disability, I have a great deal of experience in helping clients determine if they qualify for disability payments. I hope that this blog will help people who have been injured understand what it means to qualify for social security disability benefits and how to go about getting that help.