Medical errors occur across the U.S. every day. While some errors are minimal, others are more serious and lead to serious injuries and lasting effects.
There are some medical errors that are more common than others. Keep reading to learn about some of the most frequent causes of trouble:
Lapses in communication
Medical errors are bound to occur without proper and constant communication between healthcare professionals. It’s important for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to make what they are doing known and to provide updates about the patients they are working with. Failure to do this can lead to serious and even fatal medical errors.
Issues with medical devices
Unfortunately, there are often malfunctions or complications with medical devices, equipment, grafts and implants. If this happens, serious injuries may arise. When this type of medical error occurs, determining liability can be tricky since there could be several parties involved, including the manufacturer, the doctor that placed it or the current treating physician.
Missing or subpar practices
In the healthcare realm, it’s necessary to have set practices and policies in place. This provides healthcare workers with a “standard of care” that must be met. If no standard of care is established, it may result in dangerous medical hazards, injuries and more.
Staffing issues
There are staffing shortages and issues in health care facilities across the country. However, shortages alone aren’t the cause of medical errors. While this is true, it is a problem that can increase the potential of a mistake occurring.
Protecting your rights if a medical error occurs
If a medical error occurs, you should take steps to protect your rights. Part of this is gathering and collecting evidence related to what happened. This is going to help you recover compensation for the losses and injuries you experienced.