Going to the doctor can be a nerve-wracking experience for patients in North Carolina. Not only are they suffering from some type of injury or illness, but most understand that there is a chance they might not receive necessary treatment. Here are the main types of medical malpractice that patients should be aware of when they seek care.
Misdiagnosis is common and occurs when a medical professional fails to render the correct diagnosis. This could either be telling a patient that they have a clean bill of health, or diagnosing the individual with an illness he or she is not suffering from. In both situations, patients will not get the treatment they need. Delayed diagnosis is similar, and usually involves a doctor initially rendering an incorrect diagnosis before eventually landing on the correct one. However, there is still a delay in treatment and the possibility of further injury.
Patients might be surprised to learn how common surgical errors are. Going under the knife is a huge deal, so most people expect that medical professionals will be absolutely certain in all matters during the process. Unfortunately, unnecessary surgeries, operations on the wrong body parts, improperly administered anesthesia, leaving behind foreign objects, incorrect surgical methods and much more can all cause patients serious and long-lasting harm.
Even if a patient receives the correct diagnosis and is not subjected to unnecessary surgeries, there are still more dangers lurking in the health care world. Failure to treat patients after rendering accurate diagnoses is extremely dangerous, particularly for those who have a limited timeframe for successful treatment. This includes administering necessary follow-up care.
North Carolina patients put an enormous amount of trust in their doctors — they are the experts after all. Still, even experts are human and subject to mistakes, error in judgment and corruption. When a health care provider fails to provide necessary and accurate treatment, victims often turn to medical malpractice suits to help address the steep financial costs and emotional burdens associated with their injuries.
