A study recently published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal stated that up to 24,000 patients in Canadian hospitals die each year and many more left injured as a result of preventable medical errors.

Medical malpractice occurs when the treatment provided by a health care provider (such as a doctor, nurse, hospital, dentist etc.) falls below the generally accepted standard of care. Health care providers are human and they are not expected to be perfect. Sometimes medical treatment is not successful but that does not necessarily mean the doctor was negligent. Negligent treatment (medical malpractice) is treatment that falls below the generally accepted standard of reasonably competent care.

Medical malpractice may involve the following:

• Failing to properly diagnose a medical condition;
• Failing to provide appropriate medical treatment;
• Failing to refer the patient to the proper medical specialist;
• Failing to perform surgery with reasonable care;
• Failing to provide proper post-operative care.

If you believe you or your family may have been a victim of medical malpractice, call Arnold Pizzo McKiggan toll free at 1-877-423-2050, click here for a free consultation or take a look at John McKiggan's Medical Malpractice Blog.