When you visit a doctor, you expect a certain level of care. In Indiana, doctors have a legal duty to provide treatment that meets accepted medical standards. If they fail in this duty and cause injuries or other harm, they may be held liable for medical malpractice.
Here are some common examples of breaches of duty of care by doctors.
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
Doctors should correctly diagnose a condition based on symptoms, tests and medical history. Failure to diagnose can cause severe injuries and complications. For example, if a doctor dismisses signs of a heart attack as indigestion, the patient could suffer severe complications or even death.
Surgical errors
Surgical mistakes can be life-threatening. Common errors include operating on the wrong body part, leaving surgical instruments behind after an operation or failing to control bleeding properly. These mistakes often result from negligence, such as miscommunication among the surgical team or failure to follow proper procedures. Hospitals and surgeons can be held responsible for these errors if they are errors that other professionals would not have reasonably made.
Medication errors
Doctors must prescribe the right medication and dosage. A breach occurs when they prescribe the wrong drug, give an incorrect dosage or fail to check for dangerous drug interactions. For instance, prescribing a medication that a patient is allergic to could lead to severe reactions. Administering the wrong medication, resulting in harm, presents valid grounds for a medical malpractice claim.
If you believe a doctor’s negligence caused you harm, you may have a medical malpractice claim. There are time limits on filing, so it is in your best interests to seek some legal guidance as soon as is practicable.