When we visit doctors, hospitals, or other healthcare professionals, we trust that they will provide competent and safe care. Unfortunately, medical errors remain one of the leading causes of injury and death in the United States. When negligence or substandard care leads to serious harm, patients and their families may pursue a medical malpractice claim to seek justice and compensation. Understanding the most common reasons for these claims—and why working with a skilled Indianapolis, IN medical malpractice lawyer is crucial — can help protect your rights and ensure accountability.
Misdiagnosis Or Delayed Diagnosis
One of the most frequent causes of medical malpractice claims involves misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. When a healthcare provider fails to correctly identify a patient’s condition, treatment may be delayed or entirely inappropriate, allowing the illness to progress unchecked. This is particularly dangerous in cases involving cancer, heart disease, stroke, or infections where timely intervention is critical.
For example, a doctor who overlooks warning signs on a test result or dismisses a patient’s symptoms as minor may prevent that patient from receiving the care they need. The consequences can be life-threatening and may even lead to death. A malpractice lawyer can help prove that a competent physician would have made the correct diagnosis under the same circumstances and that the error directly caused harm to the patient.
Surgical Errors
Surgical mistakes are another major cause of malpractice claims. These errors can occur before, during, or after a procedure and include wrong-site surgeries, leaving surgical instruments inside the body, operating on the wrong patient, or damaging nearby organs or nerves. Post-operative errors, such as failing to monitor the patient properly or prevent infection, can also lead to severe complications.
Even minor surgical errors can result in long-term pain, disability, or additional corrective surgeries. Because hospitals and surgical teams often have multiple parties involved, determining liability can be complex. A malpractice attorney can investigate the chain of responsibility, reviewing surgical records, staff communications, and expert testimony to identify where negligence occurred and hold the appropriate parties accountable.
Medication And Prescription Errors
Medication errors are alarmingly common and can have deadly consequences. These mistakes may occur when a doctor prescribes the wrong medication or dosage, a nurse administers the wrong drug, or a pharmacist mislabels a prescription. Drug interactions, allergic reactions, or overdoses can result from even small errors in judgment or record-keeping.
Malpractice claims in this category often hinge on whether the healthcare provider failed to verify patient information, ignored warnings, or did not follow standard prescribing protocols. A skilled malpractice lawyer can obtain pharmacy logs, medical records, and expert analysis to demonstrate how a simple error could have been prevented with proper care and attention.
Birth Injuries And Obstetric Negligence
Childbirth should be a joyous occasion, but when medical negligence occurs, it can lead to devastating and lifelong consequences for both mother and baby. Birth-related malpractice claims often involve failures to monitor fetal distress, improper use of delivery tools like forceps or vacuums, delayed C-sections, or medication errors during labor. These mistakes can result in serious conditions such as cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, or other forms of brain and nerve damage.
Parents file malpractice claims in these cases not only to obtain compensation for medical expenses and long-term care but also to ensure that similar errors do not harm other families in the future. A malpractice lawyer can coordinate medical experts to review records and identify whether the standard of care was breached during delivery or prenatal treatment.
Why You Should Work With A Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Medical malpractice cases are some of the most complex and challenging types of personal injury claims. They require deep knowledge of both law and medicine, as well as access to expert witnesses who can explain how a healthcare provider’s conduct fell below accepted standards. Hospitals and insurance companies have teams of lawyers working to defend their interests, making it extremely difficult for patients to succeed without legal representation.
An experienced malpractice attorney can handle every aspect of the case—from gathering evidence and consulting medical specialists to negotiating settlements or presenting your case at trial. They understand how to calculate both economic damages (such as medical bills and lost wages) and non-economic damages (including pain, suffering, and loss of quality of life). Working with a lawyer not only increases your chances of securing fair compensation but also ensures that negligent medical providers are held accountable for their actions.
Medical errors can change lives in an instant, leaving victims to face physical pain, emotional distress, and financial hardship. By understanding the most common causes of malpractice claims — misdiagnosis, surgical mistakes, medication errors, and birth injuries — you can better recognize when your rights have been violated.
If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to medical negligence, don’t face the healthcare system alone. Contact Ward & Ward Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. We will investigate your case, work with trusted medical experts, and fight tirelessly to secure the justice and compensation you deserve.
