How Brain Injuries Are Caused by Doctors, Hospitals, and Medical Professionals
Although patients trust hospitals and medical professionals to treat them appropriately and take their health seriously, their doctors’ actions may be thrown into question when brain damage results from a procedure or medication. Families who have received the news that a loved one has suffered a serious or permanent brain injury are forced to look for answers, and one of the first questions they ask is, “How did this happen?”
Brain Injuries Can Be a Tragic Consequence of a Medical Error
It’s not easy to think about, but doctors, nurses, and other care professionals sometimes make mistakes that cause brain damage in a patient. While some brain injuries are completely unrelated to medical malpractice, it is possible for a brain injury to arise from a medical error or mistake, such as:
- Errors during surgery. Surgery errors can result in brain injuries when doctors make a mistake during the procedure, fail to spot dangerous infections, and accidentally deprive the brain of oxygen.
- Anesthesia errors. If anesthesia isn’t handled appropriately, a patient can suffer severe brain damage from even a simple procedure.
- Medication mistakes. Prescription errors, inappropriately prescribed medication, a failure to recognize dangerous drug interactions, and other issues could leave doctors or pharmacies liable if brain damage results.
- Undiagnosed or misdiagnosed disorders. If strokes, tumors, and other conditions are ignored, misdiagnosed, or not thoroughly diagnosed, the error can lead to a patient suffering what could have been preventable brain damage.
- Nursing mistakes. Nurses play an important role in a patient’s health, and a nurse who misses important vital signs, administers the wrong treatments, or makes a mistake in a patient’s records could be responsible for a patient’s brain damage.
- Poorly managed respiratory assistance. If a patient’s intubation, oxygen therapy, or other respiratory management fails or is mismanaged, brain damage can result.
- Mismanaged birth and delivery. When a doctor makes a mistake during delivery, the newborn infant can suffer brain damage, which might not become apparent until the child is older.
You and Your Family Can Get Help If You’ve Suffered Brain Damage Due to Medical Malpractice
On top of the stress and changes that come with a serious brain injury, families are often left unsure if a doctor or hospital was to blame for a loved one’s injury. If you have questions about your rights, or if you need help finding out the truth about what happened to your loved one, don’t hesitate to contact our Chicago office directly, or request your free copy of our book, What to Do If You Have Been Injured by Your Doctors or Hospital.
