Medical malpractice is, thankfully, somewhat uncommon in Washington. However, it does happen — just perhaps not always in the way you expect. In general, this type of issue would be the basis for a court case if a medical professional made a mistake that was below the acceptable standards of care.
These situations are often complex, and may include multiple parties with competing interests in the outcome of your claim. Please read on for a brief discussion of why conditions sometimes worsen after medical care and when it could constitute a valid claim for malpractice.
As mentioned in Medical News Today, malpractice occurs when the court finds that a medical caregiver made a severe lapse in duty. You may note that the term “medical caregiver” could include people other than doctors. You could potentially claim damages from hospitals, certain third-party services and so on.
One of the issues with these types of claims is that certain procedures could carry an inherent risk of failure. For example, most invasive surgeries could lead to infection. An example of medical malpractice maybe if a hospital’s failure to prevent or treat such an infection lead to consequences for the patient.
There are various common grounds for malpractice. Surgeries performed on the wrong site, procedures performed on the wrong patient and medication errors are among the most frequent causes for injury in large hospitals, for example.
Every situation is different. Trust yourself if you have a suspicion that you or a loved one was injured due to a lapse in judgment or due to incompetence. However, make sure to get specific legal advice before you take any action. This article is only meant as background information.
