We entrust doctors, surgeons and nurses with our lives. When we are injured or ill, we go to the doctor to find solutions. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case and patients sometimes patients find themselves suffering at the hands of a professional’s negligence. Medical malpractice refers to when a health care professional’s treatment was substandard and caused serious harm, injury or even death.

Medical malpractice comes in many different forms but it’s important to remember that not every situation is grounds for a medical malpractice claim. In cases involving a patient’s condition worsening or being diagnosed with an untreatable condition, malpractice cannot be said to have occurred – as long as the doctor acted with an appropriate amount of care and skill. In this blog, our Hartford medical malpractice attorneys explore when a mistake is considered malpractice.

Medical Negligence

Doctors are human, meaning mistakes happen. If their mistake falls below the medical standard of care, however, the error may rise to a level of malpractice. A doctor can be considered medically negligent if he or she fails to inform you of the dangerous risks of a certain treatment, fails to diagnose a harmful condition or makes an unacceptable error during surgery. In a medical malpractice case, you must prove that your doctor’s negligence directly caused you harm and suffering.

Recklessness

In some cases, a medical professional’s actions can be seen as reckless. Although it’s considered a rarity in the medical field, some examples of reckless behavior in the medical field includes performing a procedure while under the influence of alcohol or administering a lethal dosage of medication. Recklessness can also be considered an extreme form of negligence, meaning the doctor’s actions placed the patient at risk of suffering significant harm.

Medical malpractice claims are a complicated cases from the very beginning. At Zayas Law Firm, our legal team has more than 35 years of experience and we’ve helped countless victims recover the compensation they deserve. Call (888) 486-3037 today.