You may be certain that a medical professional wronged you. But you may be unsure about whether their careless behavior constituted medical malpractice or medical negligence. Though these terms may seem as though they are interchangeable, they hold key differences. These differences are necessary to understand should you move forward with a civil lawsuit against the careless medical professional.聽Read on to discover the difference between the two and how a seasoned New York City medical malpractice attorney at Mark L. Bodner, P.C. can help you pursue a civil lawsuit.
What constitutes medical malpractice?
A medical professional may be at fault for committing medical malpractice if they made a mistake in patient care that went directly against the guidelines and protocols established by their peers in the medical community. Further, a medical professional may have held the awareness, or should have held the awareness, that making such a mistake may lead to significant harm to the patient. Without further ado, the below mistakes may constitute medical malpractice:
- A medical professional may have not ordered or evaluated proper medical tests before diagnosing you.
- A medical professional may commence a surgical operation without first confirming the surgical site.
- A medical professional may order a medication type and dosage that is unsafe given your medical history.
What makes medical negligence different from medical malpractice?
At its core, medical negligence is similar to medical malpractice. But where this deviates is that medical negligence may be seen when a medical professional accidentally causes harm to the patient rather than possessing awareness or having malicious intent.聽Without further ado, the following may constitute medical negligence:
- A medical professional may have accidentally read the wrong patient chart when delivering your diagnosis.
- A medical professional may have accidentally left a surgical instrument or sponge within your body after a surgical operation.
- A medical professional may have accidentally forgotten to monitor your anesthesia levels during a surgical operation.
Regardless of whether you fell victim to medical malpractice or medical negligence, you may be suffering through great physical, emotional, and financial tolls. This is why, in either event, we strongly encourage you to hold the careless medical professional accountable in a civil lawsuit. In successfully proving medical malpractice, medical negligence, or both, you may be able to receive the following types of compensation:
- Compensation for your additional medical expenses.
- Compensation for your current lost wages and future earning capacity.
- Compensation for your physical pain and emotional suffering.
- Compensation for your loss of consortium (in the case of a wrongful death).
Whenever you are ready, a competent New York City medical malpractice attorney is here to provide legal assistance. So please schedule your initial consultation with Mark L. Bodner, P.C. today.