Lowell Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
It is a common phrase to say “mistakes happen,” because in all honesty, they do. No one is perfect and we all inevitably fail. However, this does not mean there are no consequences to these failures. There is no greater example of this than in the field of medicine. Patients, often at their most medically-vulnerable, rely on the opinions of their examining and treating medical professionals. But what happens when that professional makes a mistake? Are they, too, able to chalk it up to “mistakes happen” and move on? The short answer is that medical professionals owe you a higher duty of care and “mistakes” they make could very well fall under malpractice.
What is Medical Malpractice?
Generally speaking, medical malpractice is a type of negligence that occurs during the medical care and treatment provided by a healthcare professional, i.e., doctor, nurse, physician assistant, etc. In order to prove malpractice occurred, you need to prove the “Four Ds of Medical Malpractice:” 1) duty, 2) dereliction (failure to meet that duty), 3) damages, and 4) direct cause.