Medical malpractice can have devastating consequences for patients, particularly when it comes to brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. Brain and spinal cord injuries caused by medical malpractice can result from various factors, including surgical errors, medication errors, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of a condition, and anesthesia mistakes.
Trusting a medical professional during surgical or related treatment and having a serious injury occur as a result can be devastating. Due to the negligence or inexperience of the medical professional you trusted with your care or the care of a loved one, you might face a severe brain injury or even death in extreme cases.
Unfortunately, even the best medical professionals make mistakes and break away from the standard duty of care that is not only expected from the medical community but is required by law. While hard falls or blows to the head during an accident, such as a car crash, can lead to brain injuries, so can a slip-up from a medical professional.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
In any medical malpractice case, the first thing a legal expert would look for is intent. Medical malpractice is defined as an action taken by a doctor or other medical professional that they know would cause harm to a patient.
Your doctor has the training and experience to provide you with the standard level of care expected in the medical community. Breaching that standard level of care can result in further damage. However, if pursuing a medical malpractice case, it will be your attorney’s job to prove the negative intent behind the medical professional’s actions.
Types of Medical Malpractice That Can Result in Brain Injury
While each individual medical case is unique, there is a general grouping of medical errors that can occur and may result in brain injury to the patient. These include:
- Surgical mistakes
- Misdiagnosis (or not diagnosed at all)
- Lack of oxygen or blood flow to the spinal cord
- Anesthetic errors
- Infection of blood, tissue, or organs
- Improperly prescribed medication (i.e., incorrect medication or dosage)
- Abuse
- Falls resulting in head trauma (more likely to occur in a nursing home)
If you think you or a loved one have been the victim of a brain injury caused by medical malpractice, it is essential to consult with an experienced brain injury medical malpractice attorney to determine what your next move is.
Common Brain Injuries Caused by Medical Malpractice
An acquired brain injury (or ABI) is a brain injury not acquired by hereditary, congenital, or degenerative means. The brain injuries caused by medical malpractice are all ABIs and fall into two categories.
Traumatic Brain Injury
With a traumatic brain injury (TBI), there is usually severe hemorrhaging or heavy brain bleeding. This type of brain injury can be caused by external factors such as a blow to the head, foreign objects, penetration, shaking, jolts, etc. TBI can range from mild, like a concussion, to severe, like a diffuse axonal injury.
Non-traumatic Brain Injury
Non-traumatic brain injuries are generally caused by internal factors. From infection to a lack of oxygen, brain injuries can permanently harm a patient. The extent of the harm is dependent on how long the brain is without oxygen, how long a blood clot is on the brain, or if an aneurysm occurs.
Take a hard fall, for example. If you seek medical treatment for a fall (with expected head injuries) and the medical professional entrusted to your care neglects to diagnose the blood clot associated with your head injury. This could lead to further brain damage or even death, leaving you in the wake of a medical malpractice case.
Signs of Brain Injuries Associated with Medical Malpractice
Brain injury symptoms are fairly recognizable, as they can disrupt daily cognitive and physical function.
Symptoms of a brain injury may include:
- Memory loss
- Lack of concentration
- Impaired hearing
- Slurred speech
- Loss of taste
- Vision impairment
- Numbing/tingling, especially in arms and legs
- Lacerations, bumps, or bruises
- Seizure
- Paralysis
- Coma
While some of these symptoms may not appear until after the medical procedure or treatment, others may be immediately recognizable.
Contact both a medical professional and a licensed medical malpractice attorney immediately if you begin to see these symptoms. You need to hold the medical professional responsible for the actions that caused this lasting harm.
Choose Zajac & Padilla, LLC for Experienced Representation
Are you looking for the best representation for your medical malpractice claim?
At Zajac & Padilla, LLC., we specialize in litigating complex cases with dedication and integrity, fighting for our clients as we guide them through every aspect of their case with warmth and compassion. With more than 30 years of courtroom experience, we will work with you directly to resolve your case with the representation you can trust to get your desired results.
We offer legal representation in cases from consumer class action lawsuits to automobile accidents and provide services for English, Spanish, and Portuguese-speaking clients as well.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
