In general, medical malpractice happens when your doctor fails to act as a reasonable doctor would in treating you. What would be considered unreasonable would depend on the facts and circumstances of your particular situation. If a medical mistake injured you, the law might consider it medical malpractice.
Examples of situations of malpractice that could result in compensation include:
- The doctor performs surgery on you and leaves a medical instrument inside your body.
- An obstetrician delays performing a C-section when the baby is in distress, resulting in the infant sustaining permanent birth injuries.
- Your physician fails to diagnose an illness in a timely and accurate fashion.
- The doctor prescribes two different drugs for you without realizing that they can have a dangerous interaction with each other.
These are just some examples. Medical malpractice does not even have to be as egregious as some of the examples above. When your doctor does not uphold the expected standard of care, a court or settlement agreement can make sure they pay you damages.
