Types Of Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is a complex field that can include many different types of injuries caused by many different things. In medical practice in general, things often can go wrong that are not the fault of the healthcare professional. These cases are sad, but not malpractice.

When an injury occurs, not because of luck, but rather because the healthcare professional was negligent, that is a different matter. When negligence leads to injury, then it is medical malpractice. Doctors, surgeons, and nurses can all be guilty of malpractice, as can some institutions.

When it comes to malpractice by a doctor, the injury can be caused either by acting incorrectly or failing to act at all. In other words, a doctor is guilty of malpractice for failing to diagnose an illness or for diagnosing the wrong illness. A doctor who fails to administer the proper treatment to a patient is guilty of malpractice as well, as is a doctor who administers the wrong treatment for the illness.

A surgeon can be guilty of malpractice, as well. This type of malpractice can also be of many different kinds. A frighteningly common type of surgical malpractice is when a foreign object is left in the body after surgery. Surgeons are also sued for malpractice for performing the wrong surgery or the right surgery on the wrong part of the body, such as amputating the wrong limb. This is in addition to incorrectly performing the correct surgery. See the best utah medical malpractice attorney here, just follow the link.

Malpractice can also come at the hands of a nurse. These cases often revolve around nurses administering the wrong medication, or the right medication in the wrong amount. Nurses can also be guilty of malpractice for failing to follow a doctor's orders when delivering care. A nurse who performs a procedure that they aren't authorized to do can also be guilty of malpractice.

Malpractice cases can also be brought against institutions as well as individuals. Cases against institutions can be brought instead or in addition to cases against individuals associated with those institutions. Hospitals can sometimes be held responsible for the actions of their employees, for example. Nursing homes are also often named in malpractice cases when their employees abuse or neglect patients. Some cases also involve suing the medical practice of an offending doctor.

Utah medical malpractice lawyers can help you navigate this complex area of the law successfully. Medical techniques and procedures can be difficult to explain to laymen, and it becomes even more difficult when one has to do so in front of a judge and jury. A qualified attorney will help you file the necessary paperwork, handle negotiations with the defendant's attorneys, find expert witnesses, and represent you in court if your case should go to trial.