When you don’t feel well and you have to seek medical care, you trust your doctor or nurse or the hospital team will keep you safe. But sometimes things go wrong. A single misstep can lead to years of pain and emotional suffering — not to mention significant financial ruin. Seeks Damages for These Types of Claims > Medical Malpractice One of the common injuries and deaths that occur during routine procedures is a trimester S&P in adults, administered by family practice doctors who do not know if the patient recently took their aspirin or blood thinner medication.” – Source: Mount Sinai, nysunlearn.com In Arizona, medical malpractice occurs much more frequently than people realize and it can be caused in various ways.
If you or someone close to you has been harmed as a result of bad medical care, it’s important to know what kind of malpractice cases exist so that you can assess your claim adequately. At Smith & Green, Attorneys At Law, P.L.L.C., we help our clients understand the entire legal process so you are able to pursue justice with confidence.
Here are some of the most frequent types of medical malpractice we see in Arizona.
Surgical Errors
Surgery is one of the most sensitive areas in health care. It only takes a small misstep for serious injury or long-term damage to occur. Surgical errors may include:
- Operating on the wrong part of the body
- Leaving objects behind in the patient
- Accidentally cutting organs or nerves
- Through unsanitary methods leading to grave infection
- Poor post-surgical monitoring
Frequently these mistakes arise when a physician is rushed, overextended or simply not fully focused. In some instances, these situations can result in prolonged hospitalization, further treatment procedures and psychological devastation.
If you feel a surgical error occurred, we encourage you to visit our Phoenix Medical Malpractice lawyers page to learn how our firm can help you legal action.
Misdiagnosis & Delayed Diagnosis
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is among the top reasons for medical malpractice. When a doctor misses identifying a condition in the early stages, it can make it more difficult for the patient to get treated during crucial time windows. This delay can transform a manageable problem into something life-threatening.
Common examples include:
- Cancer diagnosed too late
- Heart attacks misdiagnosed as stomach aches
- Strokes mistaken for migraines
- Infections misread as minor illnesses
- Autoimmune Illness Ignored by Inexperienced Doctors
For the most part, misdiagnosis occurs when providers hurry through appointments, overlook symptoms or fail to order appropriate testing.
The wrongly diagnosed also tend to be saddled with long-term medical costs and otherwise preventable health decline. Find our more on our Medical Negligence Representation.
Birth Injuries
The birth of a child is supposed to be a time of joyfulness in the life, but when something goes terribly wrong due to medical negligence during pregnancy, labor or delivery many mothers and their children suffer lifelong consequences because of that mistake.
Birth injury malpractice may involve:
- Failure to monitor fetal distress
- Forceps or vacuum use done improperly
- Delayed C-section
- Medication errors during labor
- Negligent prenatal care
These errors can result in cerebral palsy, nerve damage, fractures or breathing problems.
Families who are grieving and anticipating the long-term medical needs of such an injury can be at a loss as to what steps to take. At Smith & Green, Attorneys At Law, P.L.L.C., we help families at every stage of the process. Read more on our Birth Injuries Page.
Medication Errors
Medication errors are more frequent than many may believe. They can happen at hospitals, pharmacies, clinics or nursing homes.
Examples include:
- Giving the wrong medication
- Incorrect dosage
- Not vetting dangerous drug combinations
- Giving a patient drugs they already have an allergy to
- Mislabeling drugs in a pharmacy
Medication mistakes may result in strokes, heart problems, organ damage — and death as a worst-case scenario. “These are the types of errors that occur with miscommunication between hospital staff, being in some kind of rushed environment or having terrible recordkeeping,” she added.
If you or a loved one was injured due to medication errors, find out what legal options may be available in your situation on our Medication Error Claims.
Hospital Negligence
Hospitals are required to adhere to stringent safety regulations. When they don’t, patients can be placed at significant risk.
- Hospital negligence includes:
- Unsanitary conditions
- Understaffing
- Lack of proper monitoring
- Failure to respond to emergencies
- Inadequate training of nurses or technicians
- Faulty medical equipment
Hospitals are responsible not only for the staff they employ, but also worried about one’s environment. When this setting is not safe, the patients incur avoidable injuries.
As hospital negligence claims tend to present various levels of liability, having the right attorneys can make all the difference. Our firm is here to help—follow this link to our [Hospital Negligence Services Page] internal site.
Anesthesia Mistakes
The anesthesia errors are among the most severe malpractice cases as it directly affects the brain, heart and entire nervous system. One tiny slip can result in permanent disability or death.
Anesthesia malpractice may involve:
- Too little or too much anesthesia
- Failure to obtain a medical history on the patient
- Poor intubation
- Not monitoring oxygen levels
- Using faulty anesthesia equipment
We trust anesthesiologists to guard us during our most vulnerable moments — those when we are unconscious. When this trust is betrayed, the results are disastrous.
If you or a family member has reason to suspect an anesthesia error occurred, learn your rights on our Anesthesia Malpractice Legal Help page.
Why Smith & Green, Attorneys At Law, P.L.L.C.
Our Arizona medical malpractice cases are complicated. Hospitals have powerful lawyers and insurance companies fight to limit payouts. That’s why experience on your side counts.
At Smith & Green, Attorneys At Law, P.L.L.C., we:
- Investigate the case in detail
- Work with medical experts
- Review records, evidence, and timelines
- Build strong claims
- Fight for fair compensation
We stand with injured patients and families to ensure that their voices are heard.
Conclusion
If you have been injured or lost someone as a result of a medical error, you deserve to know why and how it happened—and whether the mistake was avoidable. The first step is knowing the various categories of medical malpractice cases. Whether it be a surgical mistake, misdiagnosis, medication problem, birth injury, or lack of hospital oversight – no one has to go through the process without support.