Medical professionals are expected to live up to a certain objective standard of care, and the failure to do so is called malpractice. If you were harmed by a doctor, nurse or other health care professional in New Mexico, you may be able to seek compensation under malpractice law. First, you would have to prove negligence, link that to your injury and show that the injury led to extensive losses.
Surgical errors are a leading cause
Misdiagnoses and delayed diagnoses are among the most common medical errors. Then, there are surgical errors, such as surgeries performed on the wrong side, site or patient, or surgeries for non-existent conditions. Another surgery-related error would be the leaving of a foreign object, such as a sponge or scalpel, in the patient’s body. Doctors may also negligently fail to order the appropriate tests or to follow up with a patient.
Medication errors are another factor
Patients may also be injected with the wrong fluids. There have been numerous cases of patients bleeding to death because of a high dosage of blood thinners. Other victims of malpractice may be discharged from the hospital too early or develop bedsores from staying in the same position too long on a hospital bed.
Doctors may also neglect to obtain patients’ informed consent for surgical procedures. If a procedure can possibly lead to patients losing a limb, doctors must obviously mention this beforehand.
Finding a lawyer for your malpractice case
To learn more about medical malpractice law and how it would apply to your case, you may want to meet with a lawyer. With legal assistance, you may find it easier to reach a settlement that covers all your losses, including past and future medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. The lawyer may take the case to court if a settlement is not forthcoming.