Wrongful death can be defined as the death of a person caused by the negligence or actions of the opposite party. Some of the common causes of wrongful death include road accidents, medical malpractices, drowning, etc. Here, one of the most prominent issues is medical malpractices since doctors are given a superior position in society and they are expected to save the lives of people. Plus, every person relying on a doctor, clinic, or lab seeking professional assistance for their health issues will always expect that the care will be fair and thoughtful. However, some medical institutions and practitioners tend to breach the standard of care resulting in fatal consequences including a number of wrongful death cases.
If any of your family members died as a result of the negligence of medical practitioners or the institution, you can file a wrongful death suit to hold the person liable for your loss. The defendant will have to provide financial compensation to the family of the deceased. The damages that are mainly considered when it comes to wrongful death cases include funeral expenses, loss of companionship, loss of support, loss of income, emotional trauma, etc. In the case of medical malpractice, the wrongful death of a person is likely to be caused by a number of missteps while providing medical care. Some of those potential missteps include;
- A delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis
- Errors during testing or screening
- An error in prescribing medication
- Continue providing an ineffective treatment
- Lack of care
- Improper use of medical instruments and equipment
- Labor and delivery mistakes
- Birth injuries
- Incorrect or poor treatment
- Nursing home negligence or abuse
- Lack of skills or informed consent
- Defective medical devices
- Medical staff errors occurred during the treatment, surgeries, or procedures
- Harmful prescription medications
Sadly, most of the wrongful death cases occurred as a result of medical negligence was preventable ones. Such cases often involve issues such as oxygen deprivation during birth, misdiagnosed cancer, birth injuries, complications with anesthesia, etc. In such cases, the medical staff, as well as the medical institute, will be held liable for the wrongful death of their patient. Since you are likely to deal with multiple parties in such cases, it will be better to hire a well-versed wrongful death attorney to represent your case in court. Besides, it will be extremely challenging to resolve wrongful death cases caused by medical malpractice. Hence, make sure that your wrongful death attorney is specialized in the respective field.