Famous medical malpractice cases

Medical malpractice occurs when a patient sustains an injury due to a negligent act or omission on the part of a doctor, other health care professional, or hospital. For a case to be considered one of medical malpractice, the following characteristics must be met:

  • A violation in the standard of care has occurred, resulting in an injury to the patient
  • The injury to the patient was caused by negligence
  • The injury resulted in significant damages

If you feel that you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice, it’s important that you seek the proper legal assistance because this can be the key to getting the compensation that you deserve. Scott S. Harris, experienced medical malpractice attorney in San Diego, has been successfully litigating cases involving medical malpractice for over 30 years. 

Some common examples of medical malpractice that could result in a legal claim include:

  • Failure to diagnose or misdiagnosis
  • Unnecessary surgery
  • Surgical errors or wrong site surgery
  • Improperly prescribed medication or dosage error
  • Failure to order proper testing
  • Failure to recognize symptoms
  • Premature discharge
  • Misreading or ignoring lab results
  • Not taking the appropriate medical history
  • Poor follow-up/aftercare

Unfortunately, deaths resulting from medical malpractice have been steadily rising during the past decade and are now the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. More than 250,000 people die every year from surgical errors and negligence while many more individuals are injured, some permanently.

Some famous medical malpractice cases that have occurred in recent years have been very newsworthy.

Uncommon, but famous types of medical malpractice

In 2003, 17 year-old Jesica Santillan underwent heart and lung transplant surgery at Duke University. However, the blood type of the organ donors was never checked to see if it matched with that of Jesica’s. After the surgery, Jesica experienced severe brain damage, her body went into shock, and Jesica eventually died from her injuries.

Willie King was scheduled to have a diseased leg amputated. Due to a series of mistakes, the wrong limb was removed. A medical malpractice case against the surgeon and hospital was settled for $1.15 million. Many malpractice cases are the result of having the wrong organ removed, as in the case of Graham Reeves who died after having the wrong kidney removed during surgery. 

In 2000, Donald Church underwent surgery to remove an abdominal tumor at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. While the tumor was removed, the surgeon left a 13-inch metal retractor in its place. Mr. Church suffered for two months with pain before the tool left inside was discovered.

Sadly, these and other famous cases of medical malpractice have made the news, but they can happen to anyone.

Is your case unique?

While these examples of unique medical malpractice cases have made headlines, medical mistakes and acts of negligence occur each and every day in the U.S.  What should you do if you suspect that you’ve been a victim of negligent care?

Contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney to advise you as to your rights and one who will thoroughly review the details of your case to determine whether you should proceed with your claim.