The long-term effects of medical malpractice are not just physical. There may be damages that are emotional and financial, which is why our legal system has created laws to help remedy some of the obstacles the victims are experiencing. Here are some of the long-term effects that may arise.
Medical Malpractice Errors Can Lead To Long-Term Consequences
Many medical malpractice errors can lead to physical and emotional pain, resulting in hefty medical bills and other damages. For example, surgical errors include operating on the wrong body part or the wrong patient or leaving something inside a patient after closing them up.
Other examples of medical malpractice include:
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
- Birth injuries
- Prenatal care mistakes
- Incorrectly prescribing medication
- Incorrectly administering anesthesia
- Bedsores
- Lack of informed consent
- Late treatment
- Not following up or monitoring patient
- Infections acquired at the hospital
Physical Damages
Patients may experience a wide range of physical damages, which can be internal or external. For instance, when someone is misdiagnosed, and their condition is worse than initially thought, it may allow the disease to worsen or delay critical intervention until it is too late.
Diagnosis Errors Are Responsible For Too Many Deaths
An inaccurate or delayed diagnosis is one of the most detrimental reasons for medical malpractice claims. The medical journal Diagnosis published a 2019 study reporting that misdiagnosis and late diagnosis are responsible for nearly 30% of medical negligence cases that result in permanent disability or death. Of those cases, 75% are errors made when diagnosing cancers, infections, and vascular events.
Unfortunately, cancer is misdiagnosed (or diagnosed too late) more than any other type of disease. The Diagnosis study found more than one-third of high-severity harms result from cancer diagnosis errors. In addition, lung cancer is the most frequently misdiagnosed type of cancer—a startling fact given the American Cancer Society reports lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths.
Misdiagnosis Of Vascular Events
Incorrectly diagnosed vascular events are the second-most common error that doctors make. A vascular event is an abrupt event that involves the blood vessels and disrupts the circulatory system. Heart attack, stroke, and embolism are a few examples of vascular events. Strokes are diagnosed inaccurately (or too late) more than any other vascular event.
Infection Diagnosing Errors
Late or incorrect diagnosis of infections is the third-most common diagnosis error. Sepsis is the most frequently misdiagnosed condition related to infections. Sepsis is the body’s severe inflammatory response to infection that can damage the organs and lead to death.
Emotional Damages
It is tragic when someone we’re supposed to trust puts us in danger. Unfortunately, this is what happens in medical malpractice cases, and this act of negligence may leave individuals with the emotional trauma of the situation, including the inability to trust medical professionals in the future.
The trauma that comes with being harmed by a medical professional can leave behind psychological and emotional scars as well, including:
- Depression
- Loss of enjoyment of activities
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Shame
- Grief
- Diminished quality of life
Financial Damages
When someone sustains a severe injury or has a life-threatening condition that a doctor’s negligence may have exacerbated, it might require long-term treatment and multiple procedures.
Your mounting medical bills and the potential inability to earn an income can create significant financial hardship. Unfortunately, you may have to pay for:
- Additional surgical procedures
- In-patient hospital stays
- Ongoing doctor’s visits
- Prescription medication
- Mobility equipment (e.g., wheelchair, walker, cane, crutches)
- Accessibility accommodations retrofitted to your home or car
- Physical therapy or other rehabilitative care
- Professional services for home tasks you can’t complete
- In-home care
- Travel or transportation related to your health condition
- Mental health counseling
Additionally, you may require various incidentals in your day-to-day life that were never necessary before you became a victim of medical malpractice.
You Shouldn’t Have To Suffer Long-Term Effects Of Medical Malpractice Alone
Victims of medical malpractice are likely to suffer extensive long-term effects. None of them are your fault, and you shouldn’t have to bear the brunt alone. You can hold the negligent healthcare practitioner responsible for their actions and recover the money you need to take care of your physical and mental health and support yourself while you recover from your injuries.
Our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys recognize the potential issues that you may face following medical malpractice. As such, we work hard to represent your best interests and seek the most favorable outcome on your behalf.
Contact Brown & Barron To Seek Compensation For Medical Malpractice Injuries
At Brown & Barron, your well-being is our top priority. Therefore, we’ll work hard to determine the cause of the medical malpractice, find out who may be responsible, and build a strong case with the goal of seeking maximum compensation for the damages you have sustained. Contact us today for your free consultation.