Oakton, VA Medical Malpractice Attorney

Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyer Advocating for Injured Patients in Oakton, Virginia

When a person visits a doctor's office, an urgent care clinic, a hospital, a surgical center, or another medical facility, they should be able to rely on medical professionals to provide them with treatment that will protect their health, safety, and well-being. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Medical providers may act negligently, and their failure to follow the proper standards when providing care can lead to serious injuries.

At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our lawyer can help patients who have suffered harm because of medical negligence understand their legal options. He has the experience needed to investigate these cases, identify the ways that providers failed to follow the proper procedures, and advocate for financial compensation that will address the injuries a person has suffered. He treats clients with compassion, provides honest assessments of the value of their claims, and takes a personal approach to medical malpractice cases while fighting for full and fair compensation.

Misdiagnosis and Failure to Diagnose

A correct diagnosis can be crucial when a person needs medical treatment. When a doctor does not diagnose a patient's condition correctly, a person may receive treatment for the wrong condition, or they may not receive treatment that could prevent a condition from progressing to a serious medical issue. A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can result in serious harm that may affect a patient's health for years to come.

A thorough consideration of a patient's medical history can be crucial when a doctor is making a diagnosis. A patient's previous medical conditions, their family medical history, the medications they are taking, risk factors for certain diseases, and their current symptoms will all need to be considered. If a doctor does not ask the questions needed to fully understand a patient's condition or does not fully review a patient's records, they may come to the wrong conclusions about a diagnosis.

Diagnostic testing can provide important information when making a diagnosis. A doctor who does not order the proper tests, fails to review test results, or does not recognize abnormal findings may be unable to diagnose a condition correctly.

Misdiagnoses may also occur when a doctor is not qualified to address certain issues. Some conditions may only be recognized by doctors who have received specialized training. When a patient's condition is outside a doctor's level of experience, a referral to a specialist may be necessary to ensure that the patient will be evaluated correctly. The failure to do so can lead to a misdiagnosis.

Birth Injuries

The treatment provided during labor and delivery can have an impact on the health of both a baby and a mother. Birth injuries can occur when medical providers are negligent, and they may lead to ongoing health issues or disabilities. In some cases, they may lead to infant death or maternal death.

Brain Injuries and Cerebral Palsy

A baby will need to receive enough oxygen to ensure that their brain can function correctly. Oxygen deprivation during childbirth can be a serious concern, and even a brief interruption in oxygen flow can lead to serious brain injuries.

During labor, monitoring of a baby's heart rate can identify issues that could affect a child and cause oxygen deprivation. Signs of fetal distress should be recognized and addressed quickly. If nurses do not notice an abnormal heart rate or do not inform doctors about complications that could lead to oxygen deprivation, the proper steps to prevent a brain injury may not be taken.

When the brain is damaged due to oxygen deprivation during labor, this may lead to cerebral palsy. The effects of cerebral palsy may have an impact on a child's life, and they may include intellectual disabilities, seizure disorders, problems with communication, or physical impairments.

Delays in Performing C-Sections

An emergency cesarean delivery may be necessary in cases involving fetal distress or other issues that may affect the health of a baby. To prevent oxygen deprivation and make sure a baby will receive the proper treatment, a C-section may be performed. However, a C-section may be delayed if medical personnel fail to recognize fetal distress or other complications or do not take the steps to begin a procedure quickly. Problems during a procedure may also result in injuries, such as lacerations caused by improper incisions.

Brachial Plexus Injuries and Erb's Palsy

Injuries can occur during delivery in cases involving shoulder dystocia, where a child may become stuck in the birth canal. In these situations, improper techniques during delivery may lead to brachial plexus injuries affecting the nerves in a baby's shoulder and arm. This can lead to Erb's palsy, which may involve arm weakness or paralysis and other physical issues that can cause lifelong disabilities.

Medication Errors

Patients may be injured when they receive the wrong medications or the wrong doses. Medication errors may lead to overdoses, allergic reactions, harmful side effects, or dangerous interactions with other drugs. These errors can occur at the prescribing stage when a doctor chooses the wrong medication or orders the wrong dose. Errors at the dispensing stage may occur when pharmacists fill prescriptions incorrectly or fail to consult with patients. At the administration stage, nurses may fail to follow a doctor's orders correctly, or they may fail to monitor patients and recognize harmful side effects or other complications.

Contact Our Oakton Medical Malpractice Lawyer

When patients receive negligent medical care, they can suffer harm that may affect them in multiple ways. Additional medical treatment may be required, and dealing with ongoing health issues can lead to difficulties in their lives. The costs involved can be significant, a person's ability to work may be affected, and they may experience emotional trauma. At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our lawyer will work to ensure that all of these issues will be addressed and that an injury victim will be fully compensated for the damages they have suffered. Contact our Oakton, VA medical malpractice injury attorney at 703-591-0067 to set up a free consultation.