Medical negligence can have severe consequences for the victim. The field of medicine is wide-ranging, and mistakes can occur in many areas. However, an error is not necessarily negligent, and there will be various factors for professionals evaluating the case to consider before they can say a mistake was due to negligence.
Often high-profile examples such as a surgeon operating on the wrong leg are the ones that get the headlines. There are many more scenarios in which a patient can fall victim to negligence, and the results could be life changing.
Categories of Medical Negligence
There are so many cases where medical negligence can be a factor that it is difficult to give a complete list. However, before, during, and after medical treatment is a useful way to segregate when mistakes can happen.
Treatment often begins with a consultation regarding a patient’s symptoms, or it can even be during a routine check-up where a patient can expect a professional to notice potential health concerns. Examples of negligence could be failing to spot possible signs of cancer, symptoms of an impending heart attack, or signs of an illness requiring immediate attention such as meningitis or sepsis.
It could even be that the medical professional does recognise signs that may suggest an illness, but they have taken too long to make the diagnosis. In severe cases, the resultant delay could be the difference between a successful outcome for the patient, or the patient succumbing to their illness.
During treatment, there are again multiple scenarios when the standard of medical care can fall below the level a patient can expect. There are notorious examples of surgical errors that can leave a patient without a perfectly healthy limb. Still, there are also many more subtle situations when patients may be entitled to compensation due to the mistake. It is crucial to identify these scenarios quickly, as the time limit for a medical negligence claim is three years.
During treatment, medical professionals such as doctors and dentists are operating in a specialised and complex environment, where the situation may change quickly. Sometimes they may be negligent in their performance of the treatment.
Examples of negligent practice may include the prescription of inappropriate medications, such as drugs that could interact with current medications to cause patient harm. An anaesthetist could expose their patient to the wrong type of anaesthetic, risking an adverse reaction and causing the patient harm due to lack of oxygen. It is possible the patient could be left with life-changing brain damage or even lose their life.
After treatment is also a crucial time during patient care. A doctor who fails to check if an illness has returned, or who does not verify that over time, medications are continuing to be effective can be negligent.
A medical professional who is negligent in their duties can cause severe and potentially irreversible harm to their patients. It is essential that patients are aware of their rights and can contact relevant professionals who can advise them if they have been a victim of medical negligence. It is also crucial that the healthcare industry is aware of these cases and uses them to help improve the standard of patient care.
