Medical Malpractice Attorneys Serving Miramar

Surgical Errors

Surgery always comes with risk, but some mistakes are avoidable. Surgical malpractice may include operating on the wrong site, leaving tools inside the patient, or damaging nearby organs during a routine procedure. These errors can cause serious complications, prolonged recovery, or require additional surgeries.

If you suspect something went wrong during surgery, look for signs such as:

• Unexpected pain or infection
• The need for corrective surgery soon after the procedure
• A surgical result that doesn’t match what was explained beforehand

Hospitals may try to downplay these issues, so keeping records and getting a second opinion can be helpful.

Medication Mistakes

Errors involving prescription drugs can be life-threatening. This may involve being given the wrong medication, an incorrect dosage, or being prescribed drugs that interact dangerously. These mistakes can happen at any stage—when the doctor writes the prescription, when the pharmacist fills it, or when the nurse administers it.

Warning signs include:

• New symptoms or allergic reactions shortly after taking a medication
• Receiving a different medication than what you discussed
• Labels or dosage instructions that seem unclear or contradictory

Keeping track of your medications and asking questions can reduce the risk, but if harm occurs, it may be malpractice.

Birth Injuries

Labor and delivery require careful monitoring. A mistake during this process can harm both the baby and the mother. Common birth injuries caused by negligence include brain damage due to lack of oxygen, nerve injuries from improper force during delivery, or failure to perform a timely C-section when complications arise.

Parents may not realize the injury right away. Clues that something went wrong may include:

• The baby has difficulty breathing or feeding
• The child misses early developmental milestones
• Medical staff seemed rushed, confused, or failed to explain problems

Birth injuries can have lifelong consequences. Seeking answers early is important.

Failure to Treat

Sometimes, a diagnosis is made correctly, but the treatment that follows is lacking. This could mean sending a patient home too early, failing to refer them to a specialist, or not following up on test results. When patients don’t receive the care they need, their condition can worsen unnecessarily.

You may be experiencing this type of malpractice if:

• Your condition didn’t improve despite clear diagnosis
• Your provider ignored or dismissed ongoing symptoms
• Treatment recommendations were vague or inconsistent

A lack of attention or care can be just as harmful as a wrong decision.

Anesthesia Errors

Using anesthesia requires precision. Mistakes involving the type, amount, or timing of anesthesia can cause serious harm. This includes waking up during surgery, being given too much, or not being properly monitored for reactions. Anesthesia errors can lead to brain injury, stroke, or death.

Signs of a problem may include:

• Severe confusion or memory loss after a procedure
• Trouble breathing or unusual pain during or after surgery
• Being told your body reacted poorly to anesthesia without further explanation

Documenting how you felt before and after a procedure can help identify whether something went wrong.

Lack of Informed Consent

Doctors are required to explain the risks of a procedure and get your permission before performing it. This is called informed consent. If a doctor performs a procedure you didn’t agree to, or didn’t warn you about possible side effects or complications, you may have grounds for a malpractice claim.

You may have a valid concern if:

• You weren’t told about alternatives to the treatment
• The doctor failed to discuss potential risks
• A procedure was performed that you didn’t fully understand or authorize

Informed consent is about giving you the chance to make an educated decision. Without it, your rights as a patient may have been violated.