For some, a surgical error is obvious. If you go in for surgery on your right leg, but your bandages are on your left leg, the wrong-site surgical error is apparent. If your surgery was internal and you experienced a bad medical outcome, how do you know if it was the...
Medical Malpractice
How stress and fatigue can lead to medical mistakes?
Stress and fatigue pose significant risks in the medical field. When people do not get enough sleep due to stress or long hours, their thinking can become muddled. This can be especially dangerous in jobs where safety is crucial. For example, tired and drowsy drivers...
Is falling at a hospital treated the same as at any other business?
For readers of legal blogs, you likely know that if you slip and fall at a grocery store or other business, you may have a premises liability claim against the business owner. However, what if you fall at a hospital while you are receiving medical care? Is that a...
6 top causes of medical device failures
Advancements in the medical field have brought about many devices that help in diagnosis, treatment and improved quality of life for patients. From heart pacemakers to insulin pumps, these devices play a pivotal role in healthcare. However, like any other piece of...
“Never events”: 5 kinds of surgery that should never happen
There are surgical errors of unfathomable scale that you would think are humanly impossible. Coined by the National Quality Forum chief executive, “never events” or serious reportable events, as the name suggests, are tragic medical situations that should never have...
Surgical errors make surgeries dangerous to patients
Surgery is necessary for treating specific conditions, but it usually has risks. Patients may sustain injuries or die, especially if the procedure involves sensitive and vital organs. But if the patient suffers damage not because of these risks but because of the...
3 ways prescription errors occur
The pharmaceutical industry has made great strides in developing medications to help people live longer and enjoy a better quality of life. For them to work, a person needs the correct medication and dosage. Unfortunately, that does not always happen. The U.S. Food...
Legal repercussions of pulmonary embolism misdiagnosis
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition where a blood clot forms in the lungs. It blocks the blood flow which may cause serious harm. Patients with PE often exhibit sudden shortness of breath, chest pain or a rapid heartbeat. While these symptoms...
Uncovering reasons why doctors misdiagnose kidney cancer
It is a harsh reality that medical errors can occur, even in the most developed healthcare systems. One such mistake is the misdiagnosis of kidney cancer. This condition is often misunderstood due to its complex nature, which can lead to delayed or inaccurate...
Is prior authorization driving medical malpractice?
Prior authorization is a process that doctors have to go through to get prior approval from an insurance company to provide a service to their patients. A lot of procedures currently requiring prior authorization do not need it. Sometimes issues with this process can...
