A patient comes to a medical professional to heal or treat an ailment. When the opposite happens, that the patient is injured or the situation worsens because of a mistake on the part of the health care provider, this is called medical malpractice.

Malpractice occurs when a doctor or a health care professional deviates from the standards which are accepted in the medical profession. It is mostly the doctor who has the final say in the procedure or treatment that a patient undergoes.

Once a medical practitioner veers away from the standard medical practice and it results to serious injuries or complications on the patient's health, this is considered malpractice.

In cases where a medical practitioner is accused of malpractice, another health care professional is asked of the procedure that is applicable in the circumstances of the patient. He should have done what is expected of a practitioner who is under the same situation.

The worst case scenario is when a patient dies inadvertently due to the mistake on the part of the doctor.

First, take a look at the mistakes which classify as medical malpractice:

1. injuries relating to birth

2. incorrect dosage and dispersal of medicine or error with prescription

3. incorrect or delayed diagnosis of an ailment

4. improper treatment

5. surgery mistakes

6. failure to refer to a medical specialist

7. health complications from anesthesiologists

8. improper procedures performed on emergency rooms

9. abuse of patients in nursing homes, children's ward and other medical institutions

10. mistakes with the general treatment of a patient

There are cases where a healthy part of the body is removed because of incorrect diagnosis. A delay in the delivery of a baby may result to more serious complications.

More specifically, malpractice occurs when the medical professional neglects to perform his or her duties on a timely and efficient manner. Just like with any other aspect in our lives, negligence would always have negative results.

In the medical profession, there should be zero tolerance for negligence because people's lives and their health are at stake.

'Medical Malpractice Laws and Cases'

The laws regarding malpractice in the United States may differ from state to state. They are changed from time to time and some laws may apply only to particular circumstances.

If you have a relative or a friend who may have suffered or died due to medical malpractice, then you may consult a lawyer in your state who specializes in such cases. Make sure that the lawyer that you will consult has an extensive experience in this field so that you will have the best legal support possible. You may also review past medical malpractice cases to learn more about this.

If you have a medical malpractice case, it would be difficult to immediately recognize whether you have a good or bad case against the health care professional.

Just like in criminal or corporate law, each case is unique and has its own downsides and merits. Your lawyer may need to work through all the details about the case.

Most of these cases are dragging and consumes a lot of your time and expenses. Talk with your lawyer before deciding to file a case. Most legal practitioners would first consider t he financial and legal merits of your case before they formally proceed to court.

Medical malpractice is a growing problem in the United States. When filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, make sure that you have a lawyer on your side who will adequately defend your rights.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides malpractice resources on http://www.aboutmalpractice.info.