The six events that most commonly cause patients to sue:
1. Misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose and delayed diagnosis: If healthcare providers fail to identify or diagnose a patient’s medical condition and it leads to harm for the patient, providers can be liable for medical malpractice, the article said.
2. Surgical errors: Surgical errors including puncturing organs, operating on the wrong body part or leaving a surgical tool inside of the body can constitute medical malpractice. Errors can result in infection, organ damage or even death.
3. Medication errors: If physicians write an incorrect dosage prescription that causes a patient harm, they could be liable for malpractice.
4. Anesthesia errors: There are several common mistakes when administering anesthesia, including giving a dosage that is too big or too small, improper intubation, improper monitoring or not properly instructing patients on pre-surgery prep.
5. Pregnancy care and labor and delivery management: Birth injuries can cause harm to both mothers and babies, including infection, uncontrolled bleeding and lack of oxygen.
6. Failure to monitor: If medical providers fail to properly monitor a patient following treatment or a procedure, the failure can cause harm and leave physicians liable, the article said.
