Doctors work extremely hard to help patients and cure disease. Unfortunately, sometimes doctors make mistakes and fail to exercise reasonable care. The result can be a living nightmare for patients and their families.

As a Cleveland medical malpractice attorney, I have seen the devastating effects of doctors’ mistakes. If you or a loved one has been injured due an act of medical malpractice, I can help you. Call me today to discuss your case, free of charge. You will not incur a penny of out of pocket expense!

Examples of Physician Malpractice

Every physician malpractice claim is unique, but there are common examples of physician medical malpractice.

Misdiagnosis

Doctors are often required to meet performance quotas set by hospital administrators, and are under tremendous pressure to treat many patients in a specific amount of time. Shortcutting the process to diagnosis illnesses and/or injuries without methodically and thoroughly examining the patient can be tragic. Misdiagnosis can also occur when the correct tests are not ordered or results are misread. As an experienced medical malpractice attorney, I know how hard a misdiagnosis can be on the patient and their family. A few examples of misdiagnosis are:

1. Cancer misdiagnosis: Cancer is commonly misdiagnosed. This can lead to a delay in proper treatment and increases the possibility of the cancer spreading or becoming terminal. Examples include misdiagnosing a cancerous tumor as benign or failing to diagnose cancer when symptoms are present.

2. Misdiagnosis of related conditions: A healthcare provider may fail to recognize a condition that is related to the primary diagnosis, resulting in late, or no treatment and thus harming the patient. For instance, a doctor may fail to recognize that a patient with a heart condition may also have an overactive thyroid , and may not provide appropriate treatment for both conditions.

3. Misdiagnosing a serious condition as a less serious one: The urgency of treatment is very important, especially if the patient has a serious condition. A misdiagnosis like this can even lead to someone being sent home rather than treated immediately. For example, misdiagnosing a heart attack as indigestion could result in serious complications or even death. If you or a loved one experienced this, call me today and to discuss your medical malpractice case.

4. Misdiagnosis of a rare condition: A healthcare provider may be unfamiliar with a rare condition and fail to diagnose it properly, resulting in harm to the patient. For example, a healthcare provider may diagnose the illness as the flu, but the patient actually has meningitis. Mistakes like this can cause serious harm and result in a medical malpractice case.

5. Misdiagnosis due to laboratory errors: Laboratory errors, such as a mix-up in patient samples, can lead to a misdiagnosis, causing harm to the patient, and likely a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Surgical Errors

Any surgery is a complicated procedure that demands the highest degree of care for the patient.  Surgery malpractice from a slip of the hand or a moment of inattention can have devastating consequences. As a Cleveland medical malpractice lawyer for more than 40 years, I’ve helped injured patients recover damages from such errors as:

1. Wrong-site surgery: When a surgeon operates on the wrong part on a patient’s body, not only does the person have to recover from the wrong surgery, but must undergo a second surgery to correct their initial health issue. Secondly, there is a delay in treating the patient’s need for surgery in the first place.

2. Anesthesia errors: Administering too much or too little anesthesia can cause unnecessary harm to a patient during surgery, and may result in a malpractice claim. One of the primary concerns of giving too much anesthesia is respiratory depression, which can lead to a lack of oxygen in the body and to the brain. As a result, these errors can cause brain damage, heart attack, or stroke.

3. Nerve injuries: Injuring a nerve during surgery can result in chronic pain, numbness, or paralysis. Nerve injuries may occur due to the use of surgical instruments or positioning of the patient during surgery. Medical professionals must be meticulous and careful when performing surgery.

4. Leaving surgical instruments inside a patient’s body: Failure to remove a surgical instrument or sponge from a patient’s body after surgery is a careless and potentially costly mistake. Patients may experience increased pain and possible infection. Additionally, the patient will be subjected to a subsequent surgery to remove the foreign object. This would be a prime example of a medical malpractice lawsuit. As your Cleveland medical malpractice lawyer, I’ll find out exactly what happened and I’ll Make Them Pay!®

5. Infections: Failure to follow proper sterilization procedures or to detect and treat post-operative infections can lead to bloodstream infections (sepsis), pneumonia, hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

In Cleveland, Oh, we are fortunate to have some of the finest hospitals in the world! This does not mean the doctors are impervious to making mistakes. I’ve represented hundreds of injured clients in medical malpractice lawsuits over my 40+ year career, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®

Birth Injuries

During birth, a mother places the health of her unborn baby, and he own health, in the hands of her doctor. That is a tremendous responsibility for any doctor. However, improper procedures, or a failure to act quickly when an issue arises during childbirth may result in a life-long debilitating injury to the infant and/or the mother. Medical malpractice cases have arisen due to:

1. Brain damage: Brain damage can occur during childbirth due to oxygen deprivation or trauma to the head. This can result in conditions such as cerebral palsy or developmental delays.

2. Erb’s palsy: Erb’s palsy is a condition that occurs when the nerves in a baby’s shoulder are damaged during delivery, resulting in weakness or paralysis in the arm. Erb’s palsy may be caused by excessive force or improper positioning during delivery. If your child has Erb’s palsy, call me to discuss your case, free of charge.

3. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): HIE occurs when a baby’s brain does not receive enough oxygen and blood during delivery, and can result in brain damage, cerebral palsy, or developmental delays. HIE may be caused by negligence, such as failure to monitor fetal distress or failure to perform a timely C-section.

4. Shoulder dystocia: Shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulder becomes stuck during delivery, and may result in nerve damage, bone fractures, or brain damage. Shoulder dystocia may be caused by medical negligence, such as improper use of forceps or failure to perform a timely C-section.

5. Stillbirth: A stillbirth is the death of a baby before or during delivery. This may be caused by negligence, such as failure to monitor fetal distress or failure to perform a timely C-section.

Birth injuries are devastating for the child and his/her parents. Never, ever believe a doctor or other medical professional when they tell you that your baby’s birth injury was unavoidable. Call me and I’ll uncover the facts, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®

Prescription Medication Errors

When a doctor prescribes medication to a patient, it should be the result of a thorough evaluation of the patient and their medical history. Any mistake in this critical process can result in injury or even death. Cleveland medical malpractice lawyers have filed suits for:

1. Administering the wrong medication to a patient: This can occur when a pharmacist dispenses the wrong medication. Also, when a healthcare provider prescribes the wrong medication due to a misdiagnosis or a mix-up with patient records.

2. Giving the wrong dosage of medication: When a healthcare provider prescribes the wrong dosage or when a pharmacist dispenses the wrong dosage. Administering too much or too little medication can cause serious harm to patients.

3. Mislabeling the medication: The label on a medication bottle or packaging may be incorrect, leading to the wrong medication being dispensed or administered to the patient. Medical professionals must always be extremely careful when labeling medication.

4. Prescribing the patient a medication that the patient is allergic to: If a healthcare provider fails to properly review the patient’s medical history, it can result in incorrect medical treatment. If the patient is allergic to the prescribed medication, it could leading to a dangerous allergic reaction.

5. Improper dosage: Improper dosage can occur in several ways, such as under-dosing or overdosing. Under-dosing can lead to the medication being ineffective and thus harmful, while overdosing can lead to toxicity and serious harm.

6. Improper prescription: A healthcare provider may prescribe medication that is contraindicated for the patient’s medical condition. Sometimes, the medication can adversely interact with other medications the patient is taking, leading to serious harm.

It is important for medical malpractice lawyers to uncover the cause of the prescription medication error. If you are in Cleveland, Oh, and have been injured due to incorrectly prescribed treatment, call me. I am here to help you.

Improper Follow Up Or Aftercare

Improper follow-up care can have serious consequences for patients and may lead to medical malpractice claims. Failure to provide adequate follow-up care can result in a delayed diagnosis or a condition that worsens. If the circumstances are not addressed, it can lead to additional or worsening symptoms, disease progression, and even death. Improper aftercare can also result in complications such as infections, or other issues that should have been avoided with proper care.

Inadequate or poor follow-up care may be especially serious in cases of cancer, where timely diagnosis and treatment are critical to the patient’s survival. Failure to provide proper follow-up care could delay diagnosis, prevent or delay treatment, and ultimately lead to a worsened prognosis.

Proving medical malpractice in the case of improper follow-up care requires establishing that the healthcare provider breached their duty of care. Failing to provide the appropriate level of care resulting in the patient suffering harm shows there was a breach of care. If you suspect you or a loved one has been a victim of medical malpractice resulting from improper follow-up care, you need to call me today. I know how scary and frustrating this can be, and I’ll get to work for you!

Premature Discharge

A premature hospital discharge is when a patient is released from the hospital before they are medically stable, or before they have received adequate treatment. Premature discharge may have negative consequences for a patient, including: worsening of symptoms or condition, infection, pain, and even death. A patient who is discharged too soon may not have had time to recover fully, or may not receive the necessary follow-up care and monitoring. This can lead to complications, and delay your recovery.

Medical teams make complicated decisions regarding patient discharge, and not all mistakes made in these decisions are considered negligent. I’ve been a Cleveland medical malpractice lawyers for over 40 years. I have the experience to help you prove a breach of duty occurred by the doctors for discharging you from the hospital before it was safe to do so.

Patients who feel they have been prematurely discharged and are at risk for harm should speak up and advocate for their health. Look for key symptoms, such as excessive bleeding, swelling, or pain. Report any concerning symptoms to the doctor or healthcare provider as soon as possible. If possible, document all of your actions. Then, call me and we’ll discuss your medical malpractice claim.

Seek Legal Action

I understand how hard it is to put your trust in medical experts, when a doctor provided negligent medical care. A misdiagnosis, surgical error, or birth injury can result in serious harm and the need for long-term medical care. In addition to physical pain, mental anguish can occur due to a life-altering error. You deserve to be properly compensated for your injury, and it is my job to see that you are.

If you or a loved one were harmed by an act of medical malpractice, you need to contact me today, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®