Medical malpractice

From Food & Medicine Encyclopedia

(Redirected from Medical negligence)

Medical malpractice is a legal cause of action that occurs when a medical or health care professional deviates from standards in their profession, thereby causing injury to a patient. The standards and regulations for medical malpractice differ slightly worldwide.

Definition[edit]

Medical malpractice is defined as any act or omission by a physician during treatment of a patient that deviates from accepted norms of practice in the medical community and causes an injury to the patient. Medical malpractice is a specific subset of tort law that deals with professional negligence.

Causes[edit]

The most common causes of medical malpractice include:

  • Misdiagnosis
  • Delayed diagnosis
  • Failure to treat
  • Surgical errors
  • Birth injury
  • Medical product liability
  • Infections related to treatment
  • Pharmacological errors
  • Lack of informed consent

Legal aspects[edit]

In the legal context, medical malpractice claims can involve a wide variety of situations, treatments, and results. The laws regarding medical malpractice are designed to protect patients' rights to compensation if they are injured as the result of negligence. However, malpractice suits are often complex and costly to win.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

<references />

Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Content may be inaccurate or outdated and should not be used for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider for medical decisions. Verify information with trusted sources such as CDC.gov and NIH.gov. By using this site, you agree that WikiMD is not liable for any outcomes related to its content. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.