Can a Stroke Misdiagnosis Be Medical Malpractice?

Stokes are very serious medical episodes that happen suddenly without much warning. Most people seek medical attention during or after their strokes in hopes of determining what happened, receiving the proper medical treatment, and finding out what they can do to prevent these alarming medical episodes from happening again. However, if a stroke is ignored…

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When Are Surgical Errors Considered Medical Malpractice?

Surgeons, doctors, nurses, and other medical staff are responsible for carrying out their duties in a correct and prompt manner that protects patient safety and well-being. If a surgeon or their staff causes you injuries or fails to inform you of any potential risks that could happen during your surgery, you may have grounds for…

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New Mothers Deserve Better Postpartum Care

Having a baby is supposed to be a joyous experience. The purpose of “maternity leave” is to give new mothers and their babies time to bond and allow families to focus on creating a new way of life. Yet many mothers receive poor or inadequate postpartum care, and it leads not only to quality-of-life issues…

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Pentagon Raises Cap on Military Medical Malpractice Claims

There are many situations where a mistake made by a doctor, nurse, or hospital can cripple someone’s life, making it hard for them to engage in activities they enjoy or simply work at their job. When this happens, you expect to seek out fair compensation from those at fault. However, in military medical malpractice cases,…

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Bariatric Surgery Can Be Deadly

Something like bariatric surgery, or weight-loss surgery, is sometimes highly promoted in our modern culture with more than 30% of adults and 17% of adolescents struggling with obesity in the United States. Many people love the idea of a Gastric Bypass or a Gastric Sleeve procedure since either one can result in substantial weight loss,…

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Is It Better to Settle a Medical Malpractice Claim, or to Go to Trial?

In malpractice cases, many hospitals and doctors prefer to settle instead of entering into a trial proceeding that can potentially leave them liable for a much larger judgment. Further, many patients are eager to settle in order to obtain compensation faster and to avoid a difficult and extended legal process that can stretch over several…

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The Top Four Causes of Maternal Injury During Labor and Delivery

The childbirth process is so delicate that if obstetricians are not careful, they can cause serious injury to the baby and the mother. When physicians cause harm to a mother or her baby during labor or delivery, these injuries are known as birth injuries. Birth injuries can range from severe bruising to a broken bone…

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Why Is Medical Malpractice Handled in Civil Court?

Anyone who is injured due to medical malpractice has the right to file a civil medical malpractice claim against negligent hospitals, doctors, and other healthcare providers. The families of anyone who dies due to medical malpractice have the right to file wrongful death claims against the negligent defendants. Wrongful death claims are also civil claims.…

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When Do Implied and Express Consent Failures Constitute Medical Malpractice?

Victims of slip and fall accidents, motor vehicle crashes, and product defects often require medical treatments. Even Tennessee residents who don’t have accidents may need medical treatment for their diseases and medical conditions. These victims and patients aren’t doctors. They rely on their healthcare providers to inform them about their medical condition, the possible treatments,…

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What Are the Most Commonly Misdiagnosed Diseases?

When you’re feeling lousy, you need to see a doctor for help. You rely on the doctor to ask about your medical history and your current symptoms. You expect your doctor to conduct a physical examination that focuses on all your symptoms and complaints. Patients also anticipate that the ER doctors, their family doctors, or…

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Medical Malpractice Due to IV Placement Mistakes

Many patients require intravenous (IV) therapy to ensure their bodies are getting enough fluids and the medications they need. In addition to fluids and medications, IV therapy is also used to introduce electrolytes and antibiotics into the patient. IV therapy is often used for surgical patients as well as those with illnesses or injuries. Generally,…

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The Consequences of Multiple Misdiagnoses

Medical providers have a duty of care to thoroughly and completely investigate health complaints. When practitioners fail to address patient complaints, the consequences can be devastating. The worst outcome for any failure in care is generally considered to be the death of a patient. Unfortunately for some patients, living with the effects of serious medical…

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Deception No More: The Secret of the Placebo Effect

You may have heard of the placebo effect when it comes to medication. Essentially, it is a trick of the mind. The theory was that if you did not know that you were taking a sugar pill instead of a prescribed medication, then the pill would “cure” whatever ailment you have. It causes you to…

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Acute Cardiac Syndrome (ACS) Is Often Misdiagnosed More in Women Than Men

A recent study which was presented to the European Society of Cardiology Acute Cardiovascular Care Congress revealed that chest pain in women is more frequently misdiagnosed than chest pain in men. Heart attacks and heart disorders have generally been thought of as male diseases. Women who present symptoms of heart disorders are often: Not diagnosed…

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What Do You Need to Prove in a Medical Malpractice Claim?

Everyone who has any type of medical procedure has the right to expect that their physicians, nurses, hospitals, and other health providers are competent. Doctors should be trained to anticipate the known risks to procedures and treatments. They should take steps to ensure a diagnosis is correct. When patients are harmed due to medical error,…

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Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances Now Required in Tennessee

A new law taking effect next year is targeted at curbing opioid dependence and prescription fraud in the state of Tennessee. This law, stemming from Senate Bill 810, prevents doctors from issuing printed or handwritten prescriptions for controlled substances such as opioids, stimulants, and other potentially habit-forming medications. Instead, licensed physicians must electronically submit prescriptions.…

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Errors in Communication and Medical Malpractice Claims

Communication is essential in a medical environment. Unfortunately, when communication breaks down between physicians, surgeons, and nursing staff, errors can occur, and it is the patient who will suffer from those errors. A 2016 study of cases at Harvard-affiliated hospitals showed that in roughly 30% of all medical malpractice situations, there was some kind of…

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Hospices Aren’t Being Held Accountable for Health Care Abuses

A recent Office of the Inspector General report revealed the poor lack of oversight by Medicare over hospices that participate in the Medicare program. The OIG report recommends much stronger oversight “to protect Medicare hospice beneficiaries from harm.” In one gruesome example, the Washington Post reported that a Missouri state inspector cited Vitas Healthcare, the…

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Inefficient Electronic Health Records May Lead to Medical Malpractice

These days, virtually every medical malpractice has electronic health records (EHRs). Electronic health records make it easy to create, find, update, and store patient information. However, according to Medical Economics, EHRs can also be a factor in medical malpractice claims. A 2017 study by the Doctors Company revealed that EHR medical malpractice claims are on…

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