People should be able to trust their doctors. They rely on their doctors to figure out what is wrong with them and treat their illness or injury properly. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Doctors are people, and people make mistakes. When doctors make mistakes, though, the results can be catastrophic. And when those mistakes involve actions that fail to meet medical standards, it can constitute malpractice, and you might be able to recover damages for your injuries and the challenges it causes you.
Medical Malpractice Is More Common Than Many Realize
Medical malpractice is defined as the occurrence of a preventable adverse outcome that happens as the result of a failure to provide care that meets prevailing medical standards. A Johns Hopkins study estimated that about a quarter million people die in the U.S. each year because of medical errors, making medical errors the third-leading cause of death, topped only by heart disease and cancer. Many other patients suffer serious injuries or complications that lead to preventable losses.
Medical malpractice can happen in all areas of medicine and all medical settings, from the doctor’s office to the emergency room to the operating room. Some of the more commonly reported forms of medical malpractice that cause serious injuries include:
- Failure to properly diagnose a condition
- Misdiagnosis
- Delay of treatment
- Early discharge from the ER or hospital
- Medication errors
- Birth injuries
- Surgical errors
- Failure to inform or warn patients
- Hospital-acquired infections
Any of the above can result in the need for additional medical treatment, longer hospitalization, subsequent surgeries, and potentially long-term injury effects or even fatalities.
All medical malpractice claims are complicated, and in North Dakota, the plaintiff must show that the care given was not up to the level of care considered standard under the circumstances. Such cases always require expert testimony regarding what is a normal level of care and whether that level was met. It is necessary to have the right attorney fighting for your rights as a medical malpractice victim.
Contact Our Fargo Personal Injury Lawyers For Assistance With Your Medical Malpractice Case
If you believe you have been injured by medical malpractice in the North Dakota or Minnesota area, you should explore your options for recovering damages. Talk to the personal injury legal team of O’Keeffe O’Brien Lyson Attorneys. Our lawyers in Fargo have the resources and experience to hold medical professionals and medical facilities liable for your losses. You can set up a free consultation with one of the firm’s experienced personal injury professionals by emailing Tatum O’Brien, Tim O’Keeffe, or Sara Monson, or call the firm at 701-235-8000 or toll-free at 877-235-8002.
