Legal Definitions - med. mal.

Definition: MED. MAL. is short for medical malpractice, which refers to a doctor's failure to provide the appropriate level of care and skill that a physician or surgeon of the same medical specialty would use under similar circumstances. To prove medical malpractice, a plaintiff must show that the doctor's negligence or incompetence caused harm and resulted in damages.

For example, if a surgeon fails to properly sterilize their equipment before performing a surgery, and the patient develops an infection as a result, this could be considered medical malpractice. The patient would need to prove that the surgeon's negligence caused the infection and resulted in damages such as medical bills or lost wages.

Another example of medical malpractice could be a doctor misdiagnosing a patient's condition, leading to delayed treatment and further harm. In this case, the patient would need to show that the doctor's misdiagnosis was a result of negligence or incompetence and caused harm that resulted in damages.

Overall, medical malpractice refers to situations where a doctor fails to provide the appropriate level of care and skill, resulting in harm and damages to the patient.