Overview
Malpractice is the negligent failure of licensed professionals to meet the standards of practice of the profession to which they belong. Medical malpractice occurs when patients are seriously damaged because healthcare providers and medical facilities fail to meet the standard of good medical practice in the areas in which they specialize. A healthcare provider may be a doctor, nurse, allied health professional (e.g., respiratory technician, physical therapist), or other individual assisting with treatment of patients under the direction of a licensed professional.
Examples of medical malpractice by healthcare providers include failures to diagnose conditions and diseases, such as cancer, when proper and timely diagnosis could have afforded the opportunity for effective treatment and increased quality of life. Medication errors may also constitute medical malpractice and occur in a variety of ways: a physician may erroneously order the wrong medication dosage for a patient’s condition, or a pharmacist may fill that prescription inaccurately, with both errors leading to the suffering of severe adverse reactions by their patients. Mistakes occurring during surgical, obstetric, and diagnostic procedures may also constitute malpractice when those errors cause harm to patients as a result of the negligence of the health care professional.
Examples of medical malpractice occurring in medical facilities range from failing to provide an adequate level of qualified staff to ensure patient safety to improperly calibrating instruments to maintaining unsanitary areas to which patients are exposed.
Medical malpractice legal procedures in Louisiana require that any claims against qualified healthcare providers must first be presented to a medical review panel before a law suit can be filed. Martzell & Bickford views this panel procedure as an opportunity to conduct an intensive review of the claim in order to understand whether the adverse outcome lies in negligence or is instead the result of unfortunate circumstance.
If you believe you have suffered malpractice at the hands of a healthcare provider or medical facility, it is important for you to seek counsel as soon as possible once you learn of the harm you may have suffered. The law provides very strict time limits within which claims may be brought against healthcare providers, and if you wait too long to investigate, the time within which you can bring a claim may expire..
If you are the victim of medical malpractice, our firm may be able to help you. Please contact us.
Medical Malpractice in the News
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) – Acadian Ambulance Service has acquired a north Texas company, expanding its operations in the state.
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) – Acadian Ambulance Service has acquired a north Texas company, expanding its operations in the state.
Read the full article at http://www.wxvt.com/story/20274582/acadian-ambulance-acquires-north-texas-company
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Acadian Ambulance Service responded to a series of traffic accidents on Interstate 10 near mile marker 835 in Jefferson County, Texas, Thanksgiving morning. According to law enforcement…
Acadian Ambulance Service responded to a series of traffic accidents on Interstate 10 near mile marker 835 in Jefferson County, Texas, Thanksgiving morning. According to law enforcement officials, more than 140 vehicles were involved.
Read the full article at http://www.wafb.com/story/20166116/acadian-ambulance-reponds-to-more-than-140-accidents-thanksgiving-morning
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An Ohio woman has filed a malpractice lawsuit against a gynecologist who she says botched an endometrial ablation and failed to tell her that she suffered severe…
An Ohio woman has filed a malpractice lawsuit against a gynecologist who she says botched an endometrial ablation and failed to tell her that she suffered severe burns to her genintal area from scalding liquid during the procedure. <span></p>
<p>The <a href=“http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/topics/malpractice/”>gynecological malpractice lawsuit</a> was filed in Hamilton County court by Pamela Williams, who is suing Bethesda Hospital and Dr. Alan Altman, head of the hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Williams herself is a Bethesda Hospital employee of 14 years, and works in the public relations department.</p>
<p>An endometrial ablation involves a procedure where the uterus is filled with a saline solution heated to about 195 degrees Fahrenheit in order to destroy the endometrial lining of a woman’s uterus. The procedure is usually used on patients who suffer from excessive bleeding during their menstrual cycle and do not wish to have a hysterectomy. The procedure is contraindicated for women who want to get pregnant. Women are usually given a local anesthetic during the procedure.</p>
<p>According to the complaint, Altman failed to keep the hot liquid inside of Williams uterus, and it flowed out and caused tissue damage to her vagina, rectal and other areas. Williams claims that Altman never told her about the error and she did not discover the damage until she developed second and third-degree burns.</p>
<p>Altman, who has allegedly admitted to never having read the operator’s manual for the hot saline-filled wand used during the procedure, has accused the two nurses assisting him of failing to turn off the machine in time to prevent the liquid from overflowing, according to a <a href=“http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101009/NEWS010702/10100330/Lawsuit-blames-doctor-for-burns” target=”_blank”>report published by Cincinnati.com</a>. Altman maintains that he did not deviate from standards of care.</p>
<p>However, the two nurses have said that they never heard Altman give the warning to turn the machine off. The lawsuit claims Altman ignored warning beeps from the machine trying to alert him to stop the procedure to prevent Williams from being burned.</p>
<p>The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of damages from the hospital and Altman for Williams and her husband.</p>
<img src=“http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=13704&type=feed” alt=”“ />
Read the full article at http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/gynecological-malpractice-lawsuit-over-burns-13704/
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