The terms ‘medical negligence’ and ‘medical malpractice’ are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there is a difference between the two terms. Medical negligence can be defined as an act or failure to act by a medical professional that provides a level of care which is substandard. Simply put, medical negligence is when a doctor is negligent with regard to your health and well-being and treats you at a standard below what is normal in the industry.
Unfortunately, medical negligence does happen. When you go to the doctor, you want to believe that the doctor has your best interests in mind and that they are doing everything possible to help you return to health. Sometimes, though, the doctor does not do all he or she should do, which could lead to some major problems.
Let’s say you go to a doctor’s office complaining about having a certain type of pain. You point out all of your symptoms and the doctor sends you home without running any kind of diagnostic tests when it is standard practice for doctors to follow up with diagnostic tests for your symptoms. You take a turn for the worse because the doctor was negligent. This is an example of medical negligence. If you are a victim of medical negligence, use a medical negligence compensation calculator to find out how much money you may be entitled to.