The following medical professionals may be liable for negligence that results in injuries or medical problems:
- OB-GYNS
- Anaesthesiologists
- Surgeons
- Cardiologists
An experienced St. Louis medical malpractice lawyer may provide legal assistance to patients who want to know if they can file a case to seek compensation for injuries caused due to the negligent actions of a doctor.
Medical Specialists Who Can Be Held Liable For Medical Malpractice
Obstetricians-gynaecologists or OB-GYNs and general surgeons can be held liable for medical malpractice. Among the common grounds for medical malpractice lawsuits in these medical fields are errors in surgery and childbirth injuries.The following medical specialists can also be held liable for medical malpractice:
- Oncologists
- Urologists
- Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Gastroenterologists
- Plastic Surgeons
- Neurosurgeons
- Thoracic-cardiovascular Surgeons
Common Mistakes Made by Medical Specialists
The potential medical errors resulting in medical malpractice lawsuits differ in various fields of medicine. Unfortunately, many errors committed by surgeons are typically avoidable.These errors include performing surgical procedures on the wrong body part or patient, or performing a wrong procedure. Inadvertently leaving a surgical tool inside the patient is another avoidable error that can be used as basis for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
On the other hand, mothers and babies may suffer injuries caused by the negligent actions of OB-GYNs. Childbirth injuries may be caused because of a number of reasons, including the failure to take suitable measures to deal with difficult deliveries, which may result from an unusual position of the baby or the unusually large size of the baby. There are instances when injuries are caused because the baby does not receive a suitable amount of oxygen.
Other avoidable errors made by some OB-GYNs are associated with vacuum extraction or the use of forceps. The head of the baby may be injured if these mechanisms are not used properly, and may result in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
The following are other errors sometimes made by medical specialists:
- Anesthesiologists - failure to take into account the medical history of the patient or improper monitoring of the vital signs of the patient
- Oncologists - administering high chemotherapy doses or delays in cancer diagnosis
- Gastroenterologist - puncturing the colon
- Urologists - improper circumcision resulting in impotence
Providing Evidence on Negligence by Medical Specialists
It is essential to provide evidence on the negligence of a medical specialist to win a medical malpractice lawsuit.The first factor involves demonstrating that the specialist had a duty of care towards the patient. The second factor requires evidence that the duty of care was violated by the medical professional. Any digressions from the standard of care demonstrate negligence by the medical professional. The third factor is that the injury suffered by the patient is considerable enough to merit a lawsuit.
The last factor should link the injuries of the patient with the violation to the duty of care. It should show that the negligence of the specialist resulted in the injury.
An experienced Missouri medical malpractice lawyer can help gather the evidence required to prove the case.
Call (314) 588-7200 to speak with a Medical Malpractice Lawyer with over 20 years of experience and a long track record of success in complex cases.
