When a doctor or other medical professional makes a mistake due to negligence or incompetence, you have the right to seek compensation for damages. Medical malpractice means more than filing a case when a patient is unhappy with the result of a treatment—a medical malpractice case must prove that a lack of competence or proper care in treating a patient caused the damages.

There are several areas where it is common to find evidence of medical malpractice, such as:

• Missed or Improper Diagnosis: If your doctor failed to diagnose your condition, or they gave a delayed diagnosis after the window for adequate treatment of that condition has passed, they may be liable for malpractice. In this case, one of the ways of proving medical negligence is to see what the doctor did or did not do to diagnose the condition. The patient must prove that they would have been able to reasonably expect a proper or earlier diagnosis from another doctor in the same specialty area. 
• Childbirth: Injuries sustained by infants during childbirth, such as fractured bones or brain injuries, can be the result of medical negligence. More frequently, negligence during childbirth is shown through a failure to anticipate complications or a failure to recommend a cesarean section when it was needed. 
• Medications: More often than not, errors involving medication have to do with incorrect dosages. Such scenarios may include a doctor prescribing the wrong amount of a medication to a patient or a nurse administering the wrong dosage.
• Anesthesia: Common errors involved with anesthesia have to do with an anesthesiologist not checking the patient’s medical history for possible complications that would otherwise prohibit them from receiving said treatment. Other medical malpractice cases include giving a patient too much anesthesia or failing to monitor the vitals of the patient while they are under anesthesia.
• Surgery: Errors involved with surgery are often related to injuries that were sustained as a result of something the doctor did during the surgical process. This could include making an incision in the wrong area or leaving surgical tools inside the body. 

Based in Carlsbad, NM, the Balderrama Law Firm LLC fights for the rights of those who have suffered injury through no fault of their own. Attorney Frank Balderrama has over 10 years of experience practicing law, and he focuses his efforts on personal injury and medical malpractice cases. Call the firm today at (575) 234-1111 or visit their website to ask for a free consultation regarding your case.