Medical Malpractice

Medical Malpractice Lawyers Woodland Hills

Medical malpractice, sometimes referred to as medical negligence, is “the act or omission (failure to act) by a medical professional that deviates from the accepted medical standard of care.”

What Is Negligence?

Negligence is a common legal strategy when attempting to determine who is at fault in a tort case (a civil wrong or wrongful act). Think of negligence in terms of a car accident. When a car driver gets into an accident that involves another driver, it is typically determined that one of the parties caused it. Perhaps the driver of the other car failed to stop at a stop light. If so, that driver would be negligent in the eyes of the law. If the accident caused a personal injury, then the driver (through the insurance company) would be held liable for any damages caused.

The same idea of negligence can be applied to the medical profession. Doctors and medical professionals pledge to uphold a duty to provide treatment that is consistent with the medical standard of care. If the medical standard of care is breached; that is, if a doctor, nurse, dentist et al provides treatment or care that deviates from this standard, then that medical professional is said to be negligent.

Medical negligence becomes medical malpractice when the medical professional’s treatment causes personal injury to the patient which could be in the form of worsening the patient’s condition or requiring additional medical treatment.

The 5 Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice

1. Diagnostic Errors
   In order to identify and treat your condition, your doctor has to first diagnose it. If your condition is not properly diagnosed and you don’t receive treatment or you receive treatment for another condition and your condition worsens, you may have a case for medical malpractice.
2. Medication Errors
   Medication errors can occur if your doctor prescribes the wrong medication, the wrong combination of meds, or the incorrect dosage. Approximately 1.3 million people are injured and 365 people die as a result of medical malpractice (US, annually).
3. Anesthesia Errors
   If an anesthesiologist does not deliver enough anesthesia to the patient then pain can be felt during surgery. And if the anesthesiologist delivers too much, death or permanent bodily damage can occur.
4. Surgical Errors
   During surgery, it’s possible for doctors to accidentally injure a patient. They could puncture organs, mistakenly cut into arteries, or leave surgical instruments in the body.
5. Labor and Delivery Errors
   During childbirth, forceful deliveries or negligence during the labor can occur.

If you believe that you are the victim of medical malpractice in Woodland Hills or the surrounding area, and have suffered a personal injury as a result, the medical malpractice lawyers at The Law Office of Kenneth L. Snyder will diligently pursue justice on your behalf. We don’t take the negligence of medical professionals lightly and will protect you to the fullest extent of the law and seek the maximum recovery possible.