One of the reasons for filing a malpractice claim in New Jersey is due to medical errors that occur. Sometimes, those errors can result in the death of the patient if they are significant. The following are a few of the most common errors that typically occur.
Diagnosing
A misdiagnosis can result in a medical malpractice claim and can happen for a number of reasons. A test might not have been performed in the correct way or could have been contaminated at the time the test was completed, leading to inaccurate results. Your doctor might not order the correct tests needed so that a correct diagnosis can be made. When a diagnosis is made correctly, the information should be delivered to you in a proper amount of time so that treatments can begin. If treatments are delayed due to the diagnosis, then death can occur.
Infections
Even with all of the sanitizing of equipment that’s done in hospitals and other medical care settings, there are times when an infection can get into your body. It could be from another patient who is nearby at the time you’re receiving treatment or a piece of equipment that could have been overlooked and wasn’t cleaned properly. While many infections can be treated, there are some that spread quickly and that can result in death.
Medications
Another way that a death can occur in the medical setting is if the wrong medication is given to a patient. The doctor could prescribe a medication that interacts with others that a patient is taking at the time. The wrong dosage could be administered.
While medical care is typically safe for everyone, there are instances when medical errors could lead to death.