5 Common Physician Errors in Louisiana – Facts from a New Orleans Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Medical errors can cause lifelong disabilities that cost a veritable fortune to treat. This is why all physicians, doctors and surgeons must have insurance coverage for medical malpractice claims, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

If you were the victim of a health-care worker’s negligence, contact the The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm. David A. Bowling is a medical malpractice attorney in New Orleans who can assess your situation and explain your legal options.

Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation. You can also learn more about medical malpractice in Louisiana by visiting www.USAttorneys.com.

Here is a brief overview of five common physician errors in Louisiana:

1. Not Treating All Conditions

If reasonable evidence proves that a patient has multiple health conditions, then doctors must take steps to treat all conditions. If the physician only treats one condition, then he or she may be guilty of medical malpractice.

Not treating all conditions can be just as traumatic as misdiagnosis. The complication could worsen or even create new illnesses and injuries. This often happens when physicians fail to interpret test results appropriately.

2. Misdiagnosis, Delayed Diagnosis or Delayed Treatment

Misinterpreting test results can also lead to a delayed diagnosis or treatment. However, just because a physician fails to diagnose an injury or illness does not mean that he or she committed malpractice. In order for your claim to be successful, your medical malpractice attorney will have to demonstrate that another physician with the same specialization would have diagnosed or treated the condition quicker in the same circumstances.

According to WebMD, there is a diagnosis error rate of 10 percent to 15 percent. A physician may also be committing malpractice if he or she diagnoses a condition but delays treatment.

3. Inadequate Post-Treatment Procedures

Many patients return home after treatment or surgery without receiving the correct instructions for home care. Doctors must schedule follow-up appointments to make sure patients are healing according to expected outcomes. These checkups also conFirm that patients’ medication is effective and they are not suffering post-treatment complications.

4. Ineffective Patient Preparation

Doctors have a responsibility to prepare patients properly for treatments and surgical procedures. This could involve stopping or adjusting medication prior to surgery, or making sure that patients adhere to a specific pre-treatment diet. Failing to prepare patients properly can result in adverse reactions or even death.

5. Insufficient Patient Monitoring

Health-care workers must monitor patients properly throughout diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment. However, some doctors neglect to do this, which is particularly dangerous after surgery.

Your physician must take reasonable steps to ensure that you do not suffer adverse drug reactions, organ failure or worse during and after a procedure. This is why hospitals have policies in place to ensure patients receive regular monitoring.

If you suspect a doctor’s mistake worsened your condition or created a new one, then contact the The Bowling Christiansen Law Firm. David A. Bowling is a New Orleans medical malpractice lawyer who can guide you through the claims process.

Mr. Bowling has more than 30 years of trial experience. Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation.