7 Most Common Medical Malpractice Cases

Common Types of Medical Malpractice in Georgia

In Georgia, medical malpractice encompasses various forms of negligence that can have serious consequences for patients:

Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis

One of the most frequent forms of medical malpractice is misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. When a doctor fails to correctly identify a medical condition or delays diagnosis, the patient may miss the critical window for effective treatment. This can lead to worsening illness, unnecessary procedures, or even death.

Misdiagnosis occurs when a healthcare professional inaccurately identifies a patient’s condition, resulting in the wrong wrong treatment. A delayed diagnosis, on the other hand, happens when a health issue is discovered too late, causing the problem to get worse. Both misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis can have severe consequences, especially in the cases where timely diagnosis is crucial such as:

• Cancer. A missed or delayed diagnosis can lead to cancer spreading, making it more difficult to treat. An example is cancer misdiagnosed as a benign condition.
• Heart Disease. Failure to recognize heart disease symptoms early can result in fatal heart attacks or irreversible damage to the heart. Common examples include heart attacks mistaken for indigestion or stroke symptoms overlooked or attributed to less serious causes.
• Infections. If infections like sepsis aren’t diagnosed and treated promptly, they can be life-threatening.

Georgia patients who experience these kinds of errors can suffer unnecessary harm. Timely treatment is the key to a better prognosis.

Surgical Errors

Surgical mistakes can have catastrophic consequences. Surgical errors encompass mistakes made during surgery that lead to unnecessary harm. These errors can include:

• Wrong-site or unnecessary surgery. Operating on the wrong patient, organ, or body part.
• Surgical instruments left inside the body. A common error where a surgeon unintentionally leaves surgical tools or materials (like sponges) inside the patient.
• Infections. Unsanitary conditions or improper post-op care.
• Anesthesia complications. Improper administration of anesthesia can lead to either an overdose or insufficient sedation, causing severe consequences like brain injury or even death.

Such mistakes can lead to severe complications, extended recovery times, permanent disability, or even death. Thus, making it crucial to have clear evidence and medical testimony in malpractice cases.

Georgia hospitals and surgeons are held to strict standards, and failure to meet these can be grounds for malpractice claims.

Medication Errors

Errors involving prescription or administration of medication are another common malpractice issue. For patients in Georgia, medication errors are one of the most common types of medical malpractice. They often occur in hospitals, pharmacies, or during the transition between different healthcare providers. Medication errors can occur at any stage, including prescribing, dispensing, or administering medication. Medication errors can cause severe allergic reactions, overdose, or ineffective treatment. Examples include:

• Incorrect prescriptions. Prescribing the wrong medication for the patient’s condition or failing to account for a patient’s allergies or interactions with other drugs. Administering medication to the wrong patient.
• Overdose or underdose. Administering too much or too little of a drug can have serious effects on the patient’s health.
• Failure to monitor side effects. Neglecting to inform patients about side effects or risks. Sometimes, doctors fail to monitor for adverse reactions or side effects, leading to preventable harm.

Birth Injuries

Birth injuries refer to harm caused to a baby or mother during labor and delivery. Common birth injury claims in Georgia involve:

• Negligent prenatal care leading to preventable complications.
• Improper use of delivery instruments. Using forceps or vacuum extractors incorrectly during delivery can cause physical harm to the baby.
• Failure to monitor fetal distress. Not properly monitoring the baby’s vital signs during labor can lead to a lack of oxygen. Injuries such as cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, or brain damage often stem from birth-related negligence.
• Delayed C-sections. In cases where the baby is in distress, failure to perform an emergency C-section in a timely manner can cause serious harm or even death.

These types of malpractice often lead to lifelong complications for the child or mother and may require extensive medical treatment or rehabilitation.