Patients in Oklahoma and elsewhere typically trust medical professionals like doctors and nurses to provide care that meets accepted standards. Although wrong limb operations and instruments left inside patients during surgery receive a lot of media attention, they do not happen as often as other less sensational medical errors. The majority of medical malpractice claims result from a few common mistakes made by medical professionals.
Reportedly, approximately one million hospital patients nationwide suffer falls each year. Are about one-third of those falls were likely preventable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 50% of prescribed antibiotics are unnecessary or incorrect. Overall, preventable drug errors, such as incorrect dosages, happen in hospitals every day.
Although starting to move about as soon as possible after surgery or illness is essential to rebuild strength and avoid dizzy spells and falls, doctors often prescribe too much bed rest. On the other hand, many patients are discharged too soon and not provided with the necessary aftercare instructions for surgical wounds and other conditions. This often leads to patients being readmitted to the hospital.
Patients in Oklahoma who suffer injuries as the result of medical professionals’ failure to provide care that meets accepted standards will likely have questions about their legal rights. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can assess the viability of a civil lawsuit and explain the available options. Legal counsel can provide the necessary support and guidance throughout ensuing legal proceedings in pursuit of monetary and non-monetary losses such as medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.