Professional misconduct or lack of ordinary skill in the performance of a professional act. A practitioner is liable for damages or injuries caused by malpractice. Such liability, for some professions like medicine, can be covered by malpractice insurance against the costs of defending suits instituted against the professional and/or any damages assessed by the court, usually up to a maximum limit. Malpractice requires that the patient demonstrate some injury and that the injury be negligently caused.
Illegal, unethical, negligent or immoral behaviour by a professional person, especially a healthcare professional.
Wrong treatment of a patient for which a healthcare professional may be tried in court.
A failure of care or skill by a professional, which causes loss or injury and results in legal liability. This narrow definition means the same as “professional negligence”. Some use the term “malpractice” more broadly to describe all acts by a health care professional in the course of providing health care—including breach of contract—which may result in legal liability.
Negligent or incorrect performance of professional duties; in medicine, the term refers specifically to care rendered patients by health-care providers and institutions. Generally, four prerequisites are necessary to establish a valid claim for medical malpractice: (1) a provider-patient relationship existed; (2) negligent care was rendered; (3) the patient suffered damage or harm; and (4) the damage or harm done to the patient was a direct result of the negligent care. In recent years the increase in the number of malpractice suits and the huge amounts sometimes awarded to plaintiffs have led to a steep rise in insurance premiums for physicians, nurses, and hospitals and ultimately to greater costs for medical care to the public.
In medicine, a single act or ongoing conduct of a medical professional that does not meet established standards of care and that results in verifiable harm or damage to the person receiving treatment. Medical malpractice may involve an error or omission as a result of negligence, intentional wrongdoing, or ignorance.
Professional misconduct; treatment falling short of the standards of skill and care that can reasonably be expected from a qualified medical practitioner.
An American term implying improper or inadequate medical treatment that fails to match the standards of skill and care reasonably expected from a qualified health-care practitioner usually a doctor or dentist. The equivalent term in the UK is clinical negligence.
An action taken by a health care professional that injures a patient, and fails to meet reasonable standards of professional care.