Types of Malpractice in Florida
The concept of medical malpractice negligence is very broad and encompasses virtually every kind of mistake that could be made by a medical professional. The most common cases brought against doctors are:
- improper diagnosis
- failure to diagnose
- medication errors
- surgical errors such as a slip of the knife severing a nerve during an operation
- medical instruments, sponges, needles or other foreign objects dropped inside a patient and left there after surgery
- errors in prenatal diagnostic testing
- failure to advise of diagnosis
- improperly prescribing a drug
- failing to inform the patient of available treatments
- continuing a treatment that has been shown to be ineffective
- below standard treatment or incorrectly performed treatment
A doctor has a duty to you to use care and diligence to diagnose your illness so that the proper treatment can be recommended. In order to properly diagnose a condition, a doctor should ask about a patient’s medical history as well as his or her family's medical history. The doctor also should ask for a detailed description of current symptoms and should perform a thorough examination which includes necessary diagnostic tests.
Example: You go to the hospital with chest pain and the doctor concludes that you have indigestion and sends you home. Later, you suffer a devastating heart attack. The doctor may be negligent for failure to diagnose a treatable blockage in a coronary artery.
Doctors also have a duty to disclose information pertaining to the treatment you will receive. If your condition is such that it is beyond the scope of practice of the examining doctor, or beyond the doctor’s expertise, he or she must refer you to a specialist. If your doctor fails to follow these basic principles, and injury is caused as a result, you may have a case for a malpractice claim. Medical malpractice can occur at any point in the diagnosis and treatment course. For example, the wrong chart could be placed at your hospital bedside, resulting in you being given medication that you are allergic to that causes serious harm or even death.
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of possible medical malpractice, call Stephen J. Knox now at (407) 420-6953 or CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A SIMPLE CASE FORM. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to accept your case, we will work on a contingent fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary award or recovery of funds. Don’t delay! You may have a valid claim and be entitled to compensation for your injuries, but a lawsuit must be filed before the statute of limitations expires.
The medical malpractice information offered by Stephen J. Knox and contained herein, regarding Orlando Florida medical malpractice statutes and claimants' rights is general in scope. No attorney client relationship with our Orlando Florida medical malpractice attorneys is hereby formed nor is the medical malpractice information herein intended as formal legal advice.