Understanding Medical Negligence

    ORLANDO, FL, October 30, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- On a daily basis, millions of Americans put their health in the hands of doctors, hospital staff, nurses, and other medical professionals - trusting that they will be given the expert care they need to recover from injury and illness. Doctors and other healthcare providers go through years of rigorous study and training in order to provide their patients with the highest standard of care possible.

Examples of Medical Negligence

Unfortunately, some doctors fall short of the accepted medical standard of care, causing unnecessary and sometimes life-altering harm to their patients. This is termed medical negligence. Anything from failing to diagnose a dangerous illness to misinterpreting an important medical test can qualify as negligence.
Some examples of medical negligence include:
- Surgical errors
- Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose
- Prescription errors
- Anesthesia overdose
- Emergency room errors
- Failure to treat in a timely manner

The legal definition of medical negligence is: "the act or omission in treatment of a patient by a medical professional which deviates from the accepted medical standard of care."

The Accepted Medical Standard of Care

The accepted medical standard of care can be described as the total sum of medical knowledge that has been amassed over hundreds of years of scientific study and discovery. This knowledge has become the primary tool that doctors use in diagnosing and treating patients. Think of the medical standard of care as a "playbook" that outlines rules for patient treatment in different circumstances and under specific conditions.

When a doctor encounters a patient and does not know the proper course of treatment, they are bound by the standard of care to seek out an answer from trusted documentation, or else request a professional opinion from another doctor who specializes in the patient's specific injury or illness. If a physician fails to do this and the patient suffers as a result, the physician can be held accountable for medical negligence.

Negligence as the Basis for a Malpractice Case

Medical negligence is all too often confused with medical malpractice. Technically, it is only a single aspect of a valid medical malpractice claim, but it is often the most important one. Negligence alone does not provide a patient with grounds for a medical malpractice case; it must be proved that the negligence directly resulted in the patient's injuries. Proving this can be a complicated process, requiring a thorough understanding of both medical science and medical law. If you have been the victim of medical negligence, an experienced medical malpractice attorney can help you investigate the circumstances surrounding your injury and uncover the evidence that links your injury to the medical professional who caused it.

If you would like more information about medical negligence, please visit the website of the Orlando medical negligence lawyers at Colling, Gilbert, Wright & Carter today at http://www.thefloridafirm.com.

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