Types of Professionals That Can Be Held Liable for Medical Malpractice in Cleveland, Ohio August 7, 2012.
There are many types of medical professionals that can be held liable for medical malpractice. Any health care provider who breached their duty of care can be sued for medical negligence in Ohio. If you have suffered harm due to a health care professional’s carelessness, consult a Cleveland medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible.
Negligence Basics for a Medical Malpractice Claim
When pursuing a medical malpractice claim, there must be proof that a doctor-patient relationship existed. There must also be evidence that the professional was negligent, and that this negligence was the cause of your injury.
Negligence in medical malpractice suits may involve:
- failure to diagnose an illness;
- misdiagnosis of an illness;
- improper treatment, as compared to how other medical professionals would have provided care;
- failure to obtain a patient’s informed consent about the known risks for treatment; and
- unreasonably delaying treatment.
Professionals who can be held Liable for Medical Malpractice
Nearly any health care providers may be held accountable for medical malpractice. You may name one or several parties negligent for causing the injury:
Medical Doctors – Regardless of whether the physician is your general practitioner or the attending doctor in the emergency room, if an injury was sustained and it can be proven that other doctors in a similar situation would have acted differently – and thus competently – they may be held liable.
Some examples of medical doctors include:
- surgeons;
- cardiologists;
- paediatricians;
- pulmonologists;
- anaesthesiologists;
- optometrists;
- chiropractors;
- obstetricians; and
- gynaecologists.
Nurses and other hospital staff – As with doctors, hospital staff are negligent when others would have acted competently. Hospital staff may include radiology technicians and physical therapists, for instance. Negligence could include injuring the patient with medical equipment or improperly administering medication.
In addition to medical doctors and hospital staff, many other types of health care professionals may be held liable for your injuries:
Mental Health Professionals – Psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals may be named in a medical malpractice claim. Negligence may include stopping a patient’s treatment when the individual poses a danger to themselves or others, or failure to document a patient’s ongoing risk of suicide.
Dentists and Dental Hygienists –A professional responsible for a patient’s oral care may have acted negligently if nerve injuries occur as a result of dental surgery. Failure to detect oral cancer or failing to make informed decisions based on the patient’s medical history may constitute carelessness.
Other Entities that may be Liable for Medical Malpractice
Hospitals and Clinics – When a hospital employs doctors and other healthcare staff, it has the duty to ensure its employees are adequately trained, licensed, and educated. A hospital is also responsible for ensuring the care facility is properly staffed. If a nursing shortage contributed to an injury, for instance, the hospital could be held liable.
Pharmaceutical Companies – If a drug manufacturer fails to warn physicians of known adverse effects or risks taking the medication, the drug company may be held liable.
Medical Equipment Manufacturers – If defective medical equipment contributed or caused an injury, the manufacturer may also be held liable.
How a Cleveland Medical Malpractice Attorney Can Help
Determining one or several parties liable for medical malpractice can be difficult. Contact us today at (440) 333-3800 for a free case evaluation.
