Every mother dreams of having the perfect birth and taking her new baby home from the hospital without a hitch. It’s a sad reality that some form of birth complication happens in a large number of births, ranging from inconsequential to catastrophic. Sometimes, a...
Medical Malpractice
The most common reasons pediatricians face medical malpractice lawsuits
Many parents hold off on having their child see their doctor because they hope what ails them is only temporary. It's only after the child's illness lingers that some parents finally pick up the phone and call a pediatrician. While many pediatricians ask the right...
Are state medical boards falling short in punishing doctors for malpractice?
Doctors are not infallible. Even the most skilled physicians with the best of intentions can make mistakes. Any licensed medical professionals falling short of the basic standards of care can face disciplinary action by their respective state medical boards. Multiple...
What you need to know if you were injured by a medication error
There are a staggering 6,800 different prescription medications on the market in the U.S. And unfortunately, people are injured and die every year when these medications are given incorrectly. Many of these adverse outcomes are entirely preventable. How medication...
A case of incompetence involving a prison doctor in Washington
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...
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...