Medical malpractice is a legal cause of action that occurs when a medical or health care professional deviates from standards in his or her profession, thereby causing injury to a patient.
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The law of medical malpractice
In common law jurisdictions, medical malpractice liability is normally based on the laws of negligence.
Although the laws of medical malpractice differ significantly between nations, as a broad general rule liability follows when a health care practitioner does not show a fair, reasonable and competent degree of skill when providing medical care to a patient. If a practitioner holds himself out as a specialist a higher degree of skill is required. Jurisdictions have also been increasingly receptive to claims based on informed consent, raised by patients who allege that they were not adequately informed of the risks of medical procedures before agreeing to treatment.
As laws vary by jurisdiction, the specific professionals who may be targeted by a medical malpractice action will vary depending upon where the action is filed. Among professionals that may be potentially liable under medical malpractice laws are,
- Medical Practitioners - including physicians, surgeons, psychiatrists and dentists.
- Nurses
- Allied health professionals - including physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, podiatrists, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, pharmacists, optometrists, midwives, and medical radiation practitioners.
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Consequences of medical malpractice
Consequences for patients and doctors vary by country.
- In Canada, all provinces except Quebec base medical malpractice liability on negligence, while Quebec follows a civil law system.
- Germany permits patients injured by medical negligence to bring a private action against the provider in contract, tort, or both.
- Sweden has implemented a no fault system for the compensation of people injured by medical treatment.
- In New Zealand, the Accident Compensation Corporation provides no-fault compensation for victims.
- In the United States, tort lawsuits may be used to seek compensation for malpractice. Awards of compensation in the United States tend to be much larger than awards for similar injuries in other nations.
Demography
Medico-legal action across multiple countries is more common against male than female doctors (odds ratio of 2.45).
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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