The average person will typically put a lot of trust into doctors, surgeons, and other health care professionals due to the simple fact that these practitioners dedicate their careers to healing. As such, you probably will believe any diagnosis and course of treatment that they prescribe since you are under the assumption they know much better about your condition than anyone else. But this is not always the case. What you need to keep in mind is like you, medical practitioners are human, which means they are not above making mistakes.

The difference is when they make an error and do not correct it swiftly, it will translate into extravagant medical bills for you and diminish your quality of life. Worst case scenario, it could lead to death. You should also know that these mistakes are not limited to surgical errors. This article outlines lesser discussed instances of negligence that should prompt you to hire a medical malpractice lawyer.

1. The healthcare professional administered incorrect medication

While some pharmaceuticals are designed to treat multiple medical conditions, taking the incorrect dosage of drugs is never advisable. And this error can be especially grievous when the mix-up is made by a doctor, as the medications could be life-threatening due to various reasons. One instance that would warrant the expertise of a medical malpractice lawyer is when a doctor goes ahead to prescribe medications yet your records indicate that you are allergic to them.

Any fatal complications that would stem from this allergic reaction can be the basis for a lawsuit. Conversely, you can also seek the services of a medical malpractice lawyer when a doctor prescribes the wrong dosages of medications, causing the drugs to interact with each other, and adversely affecting your quality of life.

2. The healthcare professional has disclosed your private information

Patient data is supposed to be upheld at the utmost confidentiality. Failure to do so can be classified as medical malpractice, as your leaked information can have lasting negative effects on your quality of life. Improperly discarded patient data, for example, can get in the possession of a pharmaceutical company that is selling drugs that match your diagnosis. In this scenario, the pharmaceutical reps can start to barrage you with phone calls, and emails, which can be deemed as harassment.

In other cases, a healthcare practitioner could wrongly email your test results to another patient, disclosing your personal information and medical condition to the public, which can prove embarrassing or can even lead to identity theft. You must hire a medical malpractice lawyer the moment that you believe that the healthcare professional was negligent enough to disclose your private information.