July is National Medical Malpractice Awareness Month, a time when advocates aim to increase public understanding about the seriousness of this issue and encourage transparency among professionals in health care fields. Medical malpractice remains a major problem in the United States, ranking as the third leading cause of death in the nation. To help you determine if you've been a victim, learn about three common types below.

What Forms Can Medical Malpractice Take?

1. Misdiagnoses

A misdiagnosis can occur in one of two ways. Either a doctor fails to identify that there is a health issue with the patient, or they diagnose the patient with a condition the patient does not have.

In either case, the doctor's negligence must cause a worsening of the patient's condition to be considered medical malpractice. In these scenarios, the patient wouldn’t receive the care they need, forcing them to suffer painful and often debilitating symptoms. Additionally, they may receive a physically- or financially-draining treatment for a condition they do not have.

2. Surgical Errors

During most surgeries, patients are unconscious and must trust health care professionals to practice great care and caution throughout the procedure.

However, in some unfortunate cases, the doctors may operate on the wrong body part, leave a surgical instrument inside the body, or injure another body part during the procedure. When a provider makes one of these surgical errors, it can complicate a patient's condition, require further surgical correction, and lead to significant pain and distress. 

3. Prescription Errors

Writing a prescription for the wrong drug or prescribing the wrong dose can cause health complications. These can be mild—resulting in the patient forming a new rash—or they can be severe—leading the patient to develop a new condition or fatally overdose. 

Other common errors include prescribing a drug that interacts negatively with another medication a patient is currently taking or one that they have a documented allergy to.

If you've been hurt by the actions of your doctor or surgeon, an attorney will help determine if you have a valid legal claim against the provider. Since 1992, Salerno & Leavitt has been representing eastern Nebraska and western Iowa residents in personal injury cases, including those related to malpractice. Their team fights aggressively to help their clients receive the compensation they deserve. Call (402) 502-9002 to schedule a consultation. Visit their website to learn more about their practice areas.