What are some common reasons for hospital malpractice lawsuits?

Common reasons for hospital malpractice lawsuits include misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, childbirth injuries, medication errors and surgical mistakes, explains Nolo. In order to prove medical malpractice, a person must demonstrate that the medical provider was not reasonably skilled or competent and that such incompetence led to harm.

Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis, which account for a large amount of malpractice lawsuits, can result in a patient missing important treatment that could prevent harm or death, notes Nolo. In order to prove this type of claim, a person must show that the doctor did or did not act in accordance with what other competent doctors in the same field would have done. A doctor may be found guilty of malpractice under these circumstances only if judged to have acted negligently compared to others in the same situation.