When you visit a doctor for medical assistance, you trust them to provide the thorough, reliable care you need to make a full recovery. But unfortunately, medical malpractice is relatively common throughout the U.S., and especially in New York.
Between 2012 and 2022, New York saw the largest number of medical malpractice lawsuits in the U.S., totaling 14,951 suits over these 10 years. Thousands of patients experienced medical errors that left them with life-long medical concerns, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life.
But any medical malpractice lawyer in New York will agree that the actual number of malpractice instances far exceeds this figure. Many people overlook common examples of medical malpractice. Knowing what malpractice often looks like can help you identify when it happens to you, then seek justice from the provider who wronged you.
Misdiagnosis/Failure to Diagnose
Some medical conditions can be challenging to diagnose. But medical providers have a responsibility to determine the correct diagnosis based on your symptoms, lab work, and other evidence. Misdiagnosing you or failing to provide a diagnosis could constitute malpractice.
Both of these mistakes could prevent you from gaining the necessary treatment for your condition. Even if a medical provider initially misdiagnosed you, and then corrected the diagnosis later, they could still be negligent. During the period where you had an incorrect diagnosis, you were not able to treat your condition correctly, which could have led it to worsen.
If you think you are a victim of a misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose, contact an NYC medical negligence attorney for assistance.
Birth Injuries
Birth injuries are often devastating examples of medical malpractice that many people overlook. While some birth injuries and defects are unavoidable, others directly occur from a medical provider’s negligence.
Examples of birth injuries that are forms of malpractice may include:
- Failure to prevent premature delivery
- Failure to perform a C-section
- Excessive pulling or force during delivery
- Improper use of forceps
Any of these mistakes can lead to severe physical, cognitive, neurological, and behavioral defects that last the baby’s entire life. Hold the medical provider accountable for these mistakes with the help of a New York City malpractice injury lawyer.
Medication Errors
Medication errors are seemingly small mistakes that can lead to extensive harm in patients. Even giving patients one milliliter of the wrong medication can, in some cases, kill them. Other times, wrong medications lead to serious side effects and long-term complications.
Medication errors may include:
- Giving the wrong medication
- Giving the wrong dose of a medication
- Failing to give a medication at the proper time
- Doubling medications
- Giving a medication to the wrong patient
Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists may all be responsible for medication errors. Consult a Manhattan healthcare negligence attorney to determine the liable party in your case.
Surgical Errors
Surgeries always involve some level of risk, and they are not always successful. But sometimes, surgery complications occur due to the surgeon’s negligence rather than normal risks.
Examples of surgical errors may include:
- Operating on the wrong area
- Operating on the wrong patient
- Impairment from drugs or alcohol
- Using equipment incorrectly
- Not following protocols for disinfection and hygiene
- Providing incorrect dosages of anesthesia
As a patient, you have a right to know exactly what happened during your surgery. If you’re experiencing complications from a surgical procedure, seek medical malpractice legal representation in NY and confront your healthcare provider about what went wrong.
Failure To Treat
Medical providers have a duty of care to provide treatment in emergency medical situations, even if the patient cannot pay. Failing to treat a patient who needs it could be a form of malpractice.
If you visit a healthcare provider for a medical issue and they provide a diagnosis but don’t recommend the proper treatment options, this could also be a form of malpractice. An NYC medical malpractice litigation lawyer can help you understand whether your situation constitutes a “failure to treat,” and if so, help you hold the medical provider accountable.
Seek Assistance From a New York Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today
Claiming medical malpractice against a healthcare provider may be scary, but it’s the only way to seek justice and compensation for the damages you incurred. Medical errors lead to as many as 251,000 fatalities across the U.S. each year. Without medical malpractice lawsuits, these mistakes will just keep happening at a greater frequency.
You don’t have to know for sure whether your medical problem was a form of malpractice. If you have any suspicions about malpractice or negligence within your care, give our medical malpractice lawyers in New York a call. At Ross & Hill Personal Injury Lawyers, we have helped numerous patients seek compensation for medical errors.
Contact a medical malpractice lawyer in New York today by calling 718-855-2324. We provide free consultations for all new clients.
Then, read our recent article about whether you can sue your doctor for a misdiagnosis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is medical malpractice common in New York?
Unfortunately, medical malpractice is common in New York. The state often sees more malpractice cases than any other state in the U.S. Of course, this could partially be due to New York’s high population.
What compensation can you seek for medical malpractice in New York?
You can seek compensation for medical bills, time off work, pain and suffering, and emotional distress, among other damages. The exact compensation you’ll gain depends on the value of your claim and the strength of your evidence. New York was one of the states with the highest payouts for medical malpractice in 2022, with the total damages equaling $551 million.
Do you need a medical malpractice attorney in New York to make a malpractice claim?
You should work with a New York City medical error attorney if you want to improve your chances of securing compensation in a malpractice claim. Your medical malpractice lawyer in New York can guide you through the legal process, help you collect compelling evidence, speak with all parties on your behalf, and represent you in court.
