Although various types of medical malpractice including diagnostic errors, medication mistakes surgical errors and failure to treat a patient can happen with any kind of medical specialty, a new study conducted by the Doctors’ Company indicates that internal medicine doctors may have a higher risk of being sued for injuries of a high severity when compared with other specialists.
It turns out that both physician practices and hospitals are vulnerable in this situation, but claims associated with diagnosis issues are the biggest proportion of patient allegations against internal medicine doctors.
The world of internal medicine can be fast-paced and requires quick and decisive analysis by doctors. When this doesn’t happen, however, a patient may be penalized in the form of medical malpractice claims.
Florida medical malpractice laws empower patients who have suffered injuries at the hands of positions to file a medical malpractice claim in order to recover compensation associated with their injuries.
If you can successfully illustrate that you have sustained serious injuries as a result of a physician’s actions or failure to act, you may be able to recover compensation to help you heal and move on with your life.
In order to arrive at these results, the study explored nearly 1200 claims made against internal medicine physicians insured by The Doctors Company. The claims were evaluated between 2007 and 2014 and all outcomes were included. The three most popular claims made against internal medicine practitioners were associated with diagnosis problems.
These included incorrect diagnosis, failure to diagnose, delayed diagnosis and medical treatment and medication-related mistakes. Nearly 40 percent of the claims analyzed in this study had to do with delayed, wrong or failed diagnosis.
More than half were based on an inadequate patient assessment, such as delaying the order of diagnostic tests or failing to order diagnostic tests. Nearly 60 percent of the claims lodged against internal medicine doctors were associated with high severity injuries.
Over one-third of the injuries occurred in hospitals in contrast to claims made against all other kinds of physicians where just over 30 percent were made for high severity injuries. The study identified that there are several different factors likely to contribute to a patient’s likelihood of injury.
The three most popular factors included issues with patient assessment, patient factors like non-compliance with the treatment plan or not showing up for an appointment or communication breakdowns between a provider and the patient.
Other issues that were significant in the study results included insufficient documentation, failure to get referrals or consultations, communication breakdowns between providers and poor selection of patient therapy.
Unfortunately, this study indicates that internal medicine doctors may be at high risk of medical malpractice claims, and as a victim, you may have the rights to move forward with a medical malpractice claim with the assistance of an experienced Jacksonville medical malpractice lawyer.
Having a lawyer who has extensive experience representing individuals in cases like yours can be extremely valuable when thinking about how to best protect yourself. Unfortunately, a medical malpractice error can shake your life for many years to come.
If a doctor failed to diagnose you and you went for weeks or months without getting the treatment that could have eliminated the condition or saved your life, the individuals responsible may be held liable in a Jacksonville medical malpractice claim.
Medical malpractice cases in Florida are notoriously complex and require the insight of someone who has extensive experience in this area. Finding the right Jacksonville medical malpractice lawyer is essential if you intend to move forward with a malpractice claim.
Even if you are not yet sure whether or not you will file a medical malpractice claim in Florida, you need to speak with an attorney who can advise you of your rights and help you determine your next steps going forward.
Contact Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Lawyers Today
In an initial consultation, a medical malpractice lawyer will evaluate the legal facts of your case and help you determine whether or not it is in your best interest to file a malpractice claim.
Given that the statute of limitations gives you a minimal window to file a claim, you need to speak to an attorney sooner rather than later to determine what is most appropriate for you.
Discover what to do if you have been a victim of medical malpractice: https://myjacksonvillelawyers.com/2016/09/16/are-you-a-victim-of-medical-malpractice/
What constitutes a personal injury?
The most common personal injury is an auto accident, but the broad definition encompasses any situation where a person suffers harm due to the negligence of another person or entity. Early identification of a personal injury is important to the legal process. Many serious injuries occur each year involving:
– Auto accidents
– Premises liability accidents such as injuries caused by a slip and fall
– Medical malpractice/nursing home injuries
– Wrongful death
– Work-related accidents
– Animal attacks
– Faulty or malfunctioning products (product liability)