Doctors are experts who go through years of schooling and training, so most people implicitly trust their expertise. Patients put a lot of trust in the doctors who care for them, which most doctors do their best to uphold. Unfortunately, some doctors provide inadequate care which leaves them vulnerable to claims of medical malpractice.

If you assume that medical malpractice is uncommon, it might seem like a reasonable belief based on the amount of education required to become a physician. Unfortunately, statistics show that medical malpractice is actually quite common across the United States, including right here in Louisiana.

What constitutes medical malpractice?

Many different actions or mistakes on the part of a medical care provider could be malpractice. Any action or lack of action that is contrary to what most competent doctors would do in the circumstances could be malpractice.

Failing to run adequate diagnostic testing, not performing sufficient monitoring after treatment or drug administration and surgical mistakes are all examples of different kinds of medical malpractice that can have expensive and potentially life-altering consequences for patients. Not only do patients have to deal with the health consequences of inadequate care but also the real-world impact of not getting better, including lost wages and a lower quality of life.

Louisiana has more medical malpractice claims than most other states

Louisiana is 13th among states when it comes to the average cost of medical malpractice insurance and fourth out of all states when it comes to the total number of malpractice claims versus the state population, with only New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania having more medical malpractice claims per one million people living in the state. Those who suspect inadequate care should consider getting a second opinion.