Medical Malpractice
At SW&L Attorneys, we handle a variety of claims including missed or wrong diagnosis, delayed diagnosis, lack of informed consent, birth injuries, healthcare provider errors, surgical instruments or supplies left in the patient’s body, medical device errors, provider misconduct, medication & pharmaceutical errors, spinal cord injuries, dental malpractice, nursing home abuse & neglect, sex abuse by a doctor, psychiatrist or psychologist, surgical mistakes, improper anesthesia, failure to diagnose infection and intoxicated doctors.
Medical malpractice or negligence can cause serious injuries and most definitely alter one’s life. A medical malpractice attorney should understand your need to have mounting hospital bills covered and that you do fall victim to lost wages as a result of lingering injuries. There are several additional items you need to know about medical malpractice in North Dakota. We understand this and work with insurance companies and whoever else is needed to make sure all your needs are handled in a timely manner.
Delayed Diagnosis Or Misdiagnosis
Delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis are at the top of the list when it comes to medical malpractice claims. The law does not hold doctors legally responsible for all diagnostic errors, but rather a patient must prove that a doctor-patient relationship existed, the doctor was, in fact, negligent by falling below the applicable standard of care, and that the doctor’s negligence did result in actual injury to a patient. If you or a loved one has suffered a potential delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Injury During Child Birth
Fetal injuries do happen and a number of them each year are caused by medical malpractice. Brain injuries like cerebral palsy or ongoing seizures can occur when a physician fails to diagnose the medical condition of the mother. Common examples of these are preeclampsia, hypoglycemia, anemia, or gestational diabetes.
Other situations that may arise resulting in childbirth injury and potential medical malpractice include a failure to identify, diagnose or respond to birth defects, contagious disease, childbirth negligence, large baby risks, umbilical cord complications, fetal distress, cesarean section necessity, or incompetent use of a medical device.
So much can go wrong during a pregnancy and delivery that, even in the twenty-first century, medical negligence affecting both the mother and/or child during pregnancy and childbirth is still a problem.
Some of the leading types of medical malpractice during pregnancy and childbirth are due to the following medical problems:
- Excessive and unexplained vaginal bleeding
- Placental abnormalities
- Mother’s gestational diabetes
- Excessively long labor that causes injury to the mother and the baby
- Preeclampsia
- Hemorrhage of the mother during pregnancy or labor
- Surgical negligence during a Caesarian section
- Negligence in administering anesthesia during labor or a Caesarian section
- Premature babies
- Shoulder dystocia or other nerve injuries of the baby during labor
Medication Errors
Medical malpractice can be caused by a number of different actions including medication errors. Medication errors are not just limited to overdosing patients on their prescribed medications. Many medication errors, fortunately, do not result in any long-term harm to the patient, but in certain situations, these same errors can lead to immediate injury or death.
Some of the most common medication errors include the wrong medication being given to a patient, an incorrect dosage administered, a medication is mislabeled, a medication is given to a patient who is allergic or has some sort of negative reaction, and adverse side effects of medication not previously discussed with a patient.
Surgery Errors
A number of medical malpractice claims each year arise from mistakes made in the operating room. It’s no secret that doctors, nurses, or other hospital personnel can be fatigued or overworked. While a limited attention span or exhaustion can both result in a surgical error, many other factors, unfortunately, lead to life-threatening mistakes.
Causes of surgery errors include surgery on the wrong body part, unnecessary surgery, surgery tool negligence, failure to properly prep for surgery, ignoring lab results, lack of follow up after surgery, premature discharge of a patient from the hospital, delay in surgery causing further issues, failing to discuss all potential risks prior to surgery and reckless decisions during stressful situations.
Call SW&L Attorneys Today
North Dakota medical malpractice cases involve a high degree of skill and expertise. Some ND lawyers shy away from these cases because of the risk & associated costs. Determining if you have a potential case for medical negligence or malpractice is difficult, at best. Our attorneys are here to help people throughout North Dakota. Most cases have a two-year statute of limitations, meaning if more than two years have passed since the malpractice, your claim could be barred forever. Therefore, it is important to contact us immediately to discuss. If you believe you or a loved one have suffered an injury or death due to medical malpractice, contact SW&L today at 701-297-2890 for a free initial consultation.
