Labor Day and Medical Malpractice Safety

Posted on September 01, 2014 by Shapiro Law Group

As you know, the Labor Day weekend is a time to relax in the company of family and friends. However, with an extended weekend and holiday, many times accidents can abound. In some instances, accidents will be unavoidable and after that it is most important that you receive competent medical care. With that thought in mind, we take a look at an article from The Legal Examiner that explores how to avoid medical malpractice.
Healthy people do not usually seek medical attention, so when patients visit a doctor, they are usually already suffering from an injury or illness of some sort. If the patient’s heath becomes worse, this can make it hard to recognize whether there was an existing condition that caused the worsening or if there was a medical error in the treatment provided.
Some of the common medical mistakes include:

Medication Errors
- This type of error typically includes doctors prescribing the wrong medication and/or the wrong dosage amount to patients. This is dangerous because some medications might be needed to sustain life, such as heart medications, while other medication errors might cause an allergic reaction. The wrong dosage could also easily lead to overdosing and organ failure or death.
Surgical Mistake
- Many times medical malpractice concerning surgical errors can end up being wrong-site surgery. The doctor may perform the surgery on the wrong part of the body or even the wrong person.
Misdiagnosis
- Misdiagnosis occurs when a physician incorrectly determines a patient’s illness or injury.

When visiting a doctor, be sure to:

Make sure your name and medical history/information are correct.
Confirm the procedure being performed, and ask what exactly will happen.
Look at your autopsy reports and X-rays with your doctor, and ask if you do not understand something.
Double check with your doctor about prescriptions, and always listen to your pharmacist’s instructions, as he or she is required to discuss new medications with you in most states.
Get a second opinion if you are not sure.

As always, medical malpractice is preventable, and it is up to us to help that become a reality. Whether it is through being vigilant or having a qualified medical malpractice attorney redress injuries, it is possible to reduce incidents of medical malpractice.
Shapiro Law Group – Medical Malpractice Attorneys Serving the Tampa Bay Area
Source: http://wiki.legalexaminer.com/help-center/articles/how-to-stay-safe-and-avoid-medical-malpractice.aspx

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