Can You File A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit For Communication Errors Or Miscommunication?

People in Atlanta and other parts of Georgia reasonably expect to receive the best medical care possible when they go to a hospital or visit a doctor. Unfortunately, miscommunication between medical professionals is considered a leading cause of preventable harm to patients.

One study called communication gaffes “a root cause of medical malpractice claims.” When you or your loved one suffers harm due to communication errors or lack of communication between doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, you may be able to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit against the negligent doctors and/or the hospital.

Consult with an Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer if you believe that you or your loved one was harmed due to communication breakdowns among members of hospital staff. Speak with our lawyer Stacey Carroll to discuss your case.

Common Types of Communication Errors in Medical Malpractice Cases

According to a 2015 study by CRICO Strategies, about 30% of all medical malpractice cases can be linked to communication errors. Some of the most common types of communication errors in the malpractice cases reviewed by researchers included:

1. Miscommunication about the patient’s condition. Often, medical professionals fail to communicate with each other regarding the patient’s condition. Some healthcare providers fail to properly inform other members of hospital staff of changes in the patient’s condition.
2. Inaccurate or insufficient documentation. Most doctors rely on documentation and notes written by other healthcare providers. However, if critical information is not documented accurately or sufficiently, a patient is likely to suffer harm due to miscommunication.
3. Failure to review the patient’s medical records. One of the most common causes of medical malpractice claims related to miscommunication is the failure to review the patient’s medical records before prescribing medications or performing medical procedures.

If you believe that you suffered harm due to communication gaffes, it is advisable to consult with a medical malpractice lawyer to talk about your particular situation. A lawyer will help you understand whether or not you can sue the doctors for medical malpractice.

Do Communication Errors Constitute Medical Malpractice?

In many cases, they do. Healthcare providers who fail to properly communicate with each other regarding the patient’s condition may be sued for medical malpractice. However, as in all other medical malpractice cases in Georgia, the injured patient will have to prove that the medical professionals deviated from the accepted standard of care.

In other words, if you can demonstrate that the doctor failed to adhere to the accepted standard of care because of their lack of communication, you may be able to seek compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

However, most medical malpractices cases related to miscommunication between doctors are challenging to prove because there is little to no documentation to prove the deviation. For this reason, it is important to contact a skilled attorney to help you gather all available evidence to prove malpractice.

Get a consultation with our Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer at Carroll Law Firm to discuss your case. Call 404-816-4555.

Resources:

rmf.harvard.edu/Malpractice-Data/Annual-Benchmark-Reports

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1201002/