Incarcerated persons deserve quality medical care like everyone else. Unfortunately, malpractice can happen in custody as it does in civilian settings. This is what happened in the case of Dr. Julia Barnett, the former head physician of Monroe Correctional Complex...
Medical Malpractice
Surgical errors are often preventable
Surgery is invasive and can subject patients to long and often painful periods of recovery. Medical professionals often avoid surgical treatments for their patients if less risky or invasive options exist. However, when surgery is necessary, it is important that...
Medical liability sometimes involves residents
Completing a residency or fellowship is an important part of becoming a physician. But undergoing this training still comes with the possibility of medical liability. According to a recent study published in Academic Medicine, however, medical malpractice lawsuits...
The impact of a failure to diagnose
What is a failure to diagnose? When medical professionals fail to diagnose an injury or illness, the consequences can be severe and irreversible. This failure can include not only a missed diagnosis but also a delayed diagnosis and a wrong diagnosis. In all cases, a...
Physician discusses his own case for malpractice lawsuit
Most physicians avoid discussion of medical malpractice except with other members of their profession. In a striking break with this tradition, a neurologist recently wrote an op-ed article about his own experience with inadequate medical care and the response of the...
Doctor loses license for misdiagnosing epilepsy
A doctor in another state recently agreed to surrender his license to practice medicine in that state and also agreed to pay a $5,000 civil penalty. The doctor had been accused of misdiagnosing hundreds of pediatric patients over the course of 10 years. He would...
The basics of a medical malpractice claim
Many Washington residents visit a healthcare professional at least once per year, and some perhaps more often. We are fortunate in America to have readily available healthcare to address minor conditions all the way to the most serious of illnesses and injuries....
Surgical errors among the most common types of medical negligence
The most common reason for medical malpractice claims is misdiagnosis, accounting for 32 percent of all medical malpractice claims, according to a recent study. In that same study, surgical errors came in a close second, accounting for 25 percent of claims....
Malpractice happens in the mental health world too
When Seattle residents think of medical malpractice, their first thought may be of a patient who suffers a worsened condition because of a botched operation or a doctor’s misdiagnosis of a physical ailment. However, medical practice and even outright professional...
When is it worth pursuing a medical malpractice suit?
For many people, suing their doctor seems like a last resort. Even if they made a serious mistake, you may give them the benefit of the doubt due to their medical expertise. But doctors must face accountability, even if their actions did not cause serious harm. If you...