David M. Patton Medical Malpractice Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Typical Causes of Arizona Medical Malpractice

Doctors are held to the highest standards because an error on their part can mean dire consequences to their patients.  Doctor errors are sometimes the cause of Arizona birth injuries, failure to diagnose cancer, and even AZ wrongful death. Patients trust their health and well-being to their doctors.  This is not usually unfounded.  Physicians spend a great deal of their medical school careers being vigorously tested and evaluated to prepare them for the great responsibility they will face. 

Despite all the careful monitoring and preparation, the most capable doctors can make mistakes.  These mistakes can harm their patients for life.  Some of the reasons physicians may be guilty of Arizona medical malpractice include:

• Failure to accurately diagnose a disease or injury
• Misdiagnosis of an ailment
• Failing to obtain a patient’s informed consent
• Surgical error
• Prescribing the improper medication dosage
• Failure to determine the counter-indications of prescribed medications 
• Failure to notice fetal distress leading to birth injury
• Emergency room errors against standard procedures

Physician malpractice does not occur with every mistake.  There are certain requirements that must be met in order to raise a claim of malpractice.  Too many patients are unaware when malpractice takes place and fail to take the proper steps to recoup their losses, both physical and financial.  To find out if you have a valid malpractice lawsuit, contact the Arizona physician malpractice lawyer at Patton Law Practice when you suspect negligence in a case involving you or a member of your family.

AZ Medical malpractice insuranceDoctors are highly educated, extensively trained, and rigorously tested, but they remain human beings capable of a mistake in judgment. Yet the power they have over the well-being of others means their errors have to be protected against since the ultimate liability since their mistakes can result in life-long suffering or possible  death. If a patient dies because of physician malpractice, it may be deemed an Arizona wrongful death. 

Even people who believe they have the basis for a lawsuit are hesitant to proceed.  Very few patients are aware that, no matter how skilled, almost every doctor in the state carries Arizona medical malpractice insurance.  The laws requiring physicians to have insurance in case they make a mistake are regulated by the state where the doctor’s medical license is issued.  Doctors pay a certain amount toward medical malpractice insurance premiums, which are commonly set based on the expected risk of insuring them. 

The increasing cost to protect physician’s personal assets from being subject to a malpractice settlement has led to a higher price for medical care.  With many physicians seeing dozens of patients every day, there is a greater likelihood that an error will occur, with all the negative effects that follow. 

If a state requires that practicing physicians carry health care malpractice insurance, and most do, it does not mean that a lawsuit will be quick or easy to pursue.  These proceedings can take a long time to complete - years in many cases. They demand the representation of a highly qualified Arizona medical malpractice attorney.  To discuss your Arizona birth injury lawsuit or physician malpractice issue with a legal team made up of skilled lawyers, call the Patton Law Practice in Scottsdale today.