Medical malpractice is no laughing matter, and there are countless examples over the years of these cases happening. More and more attention is being brought to medical malpractice these days since social media has exploded, and this is something that it’s always useful to know about. There are a lot of things that play a role in helping you achieve this, and it is important to understand the different examples of this.
There are weird and bizarre cases of medical malpractice, and some of these are downright terrifying. Making sure you’re never on the end of something like this is pretty much a coin flip these days. But knowing the sorts of things to look out for could help out when pursuing a case with a medical malpractice attorney. Here are 4 incredibly bizarre examples of medical malpractice that you need to know about.
1. Heart Surgery on the Wrong Patient
One of the more serious cases of bungled medical practices comes from this entry on our list, and the case of a 67 year old woman mistakenly being given open heart surgery when it wasn’t needed! Fortunately, the woman’s doctor made the requisite enquiries before anything too serious occurred, and the procedure was stopped. However, it still could have resulted in a heart attack, stroke, internal bleeding, or other issues.
2. Drilling in the Wrong Side
Like something out of a horror movie, this was the case of a Rhode Island hospital back in 2007, where an 82 year old woman had to have the side of her head drilled in order to stem the bleeding from the brain to the skull. However, the surgeon in this case immediately proceeded to drill a hole in the wrong side of their head! Fortunately, the mistake was caught early, and the surgeon was able to close up the hole and drill the correct side of the head.
3. Failed Abortion Attempt
In one life-changing case, a Florida teenager went to get an abortion, and an unlicensed doctor gave her medication that caused her to actually give birth instead! The resultant preterm child died shortly thereafter, making this a harrowing and upsetting case for all concerned. The doctor was eventually charged with practicing medicine without a license, tampering with evidence, and a host of other charges.
4. Esmin Green
The tragic case of Esmin Green is one that is not widely remembered, but is a harrowing example of neglectful malpractice. In June 2008 she visited a Brooklyn hospital, where she waited almost 24 hours to be seen, eventually collapsing on the floor of the emergency room, where she died. Other patients reported that medical staff watched her thrashing around on the floor and did nothing.
There are so many things that you need to think about when it comes to understanding medical malpractice, and this is one of the best ways of achieving this moving forward. There have been so many bizarre and strange medical malpractice cases that have occurred over the years, and so many incidents that have led to them. Understanding what these are gives you a better chance of being able to deal with any malpractice issues you face, and focus on improving this process in the future.