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Most Common Medical Errors Involving Children

BIKLaw Medical Malpractice Lawyer > Medical Malpractice > Most Common Medical Errors Involving Children

It is unavoidable that children will have accidents and suffer injuries from time to time. The most common causes of pediatric injuries are car accidents, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, burns, and falls.  Normal daily life and just being a kid will invariably result in kids experiencing everything from bumps to bruises to broken bones. When a child is taken to a clinic or a hospital to be treated for their injury or illness, much like any other patient, there is a risk for medical negligence and errors.

The last thing any parent wants is an injury to occur to their child when they are seeking treatment. If a doctor or nurse is negligent and your child is injured, you may have a basis for pursuing a legal claim against the medical provider or facility to recover compensation for your child’s injuries and suffering. A medical malpractice attorney can help you with this process.

Some Common Medical Errors Involving Children

Some of the more common ways in which children can be injured as a result of care provided by a health care provider are as follows:

  • Medication errors – Children and infants require the appropriate dosage of the proper medication. A child’s immune system, weight, and metabolism differ greatly from an adult’s, so there can be catastrophic damages if incorrect dosages or medications are given. Medication errors can even cause kidney failure, brain damage, or loss of life.
  • Surgical errors – Surgeries are often required for a child’s well-being, sometimes to save his or her life. Overlooked allergies, mistakes during tonsillectomies, surgical errors that are catastrophic, or even unnecessary surgeries can lead to life-altering injuries.
  • Birth injuries – While childbirth always carries risk, modern technological advances in the medical field have enabled doctors to reduce the risks through safe birthing approaches and proper prenatal care. Improper use of medical instruments, negligence, or failure to properly diagnose conditions can cause life-threatening or life-altering injuries to the infant during birth.
  • Wrongful death – Errors such as infections acquired from the hospital, misdiagnosis, and procedural mistakes can lead to a child’s wrongful death.

If a medical malpractice attorney can successfully prove the injuries your infant or child suffered were the result of a medical professional’s negligence, or a medical professional failed to act appropriately, you may be able to seek full financial recovery for the losses your child suffered.

Of course, the compensation that your child is eligible to receive is dependent on the specific circumstances, but some of the more common damages that are claimed in such situations include:

  • The costs of ongoing medical care
  • Reduced future earnings
  • Mental anguish or emotional distress
  • Pain and suffering
  • Reduced quality of life

Los Angeles Medical Malpractice Attorney

If your child has suffered because of a medical error in Los Angeles, you should enlist the help of an experienced medical malpractice attorney. Call the office of Bradley I. Kramer, M.D., Esq., to get a free case review from a Los Angeles medical malpractice lawyer. There is a statute of limitations for pursuing a claim, so don’t wait until it is too late to recover compensation for your child’s injuries.

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