What is the difference between a medical malpractice lawsuit and a personal injury lawsuit?

Medical malpractice lawsuits and personal injury lawsuits are both civil cases, meaning that a person is suing a person, organization, or business instead of a criminal prosecution. However, there are several differences between these two types of lawsuits. Medical malpractice is a specific type of personal injury lawsuit that focuses on medical treatment, errors, or lack of appropriate medical care. In these cases, the plaintiff (the person suing) must prove that the medical professional(s) was negligent in treating the patient, resulting in injury or other harm. To do this, the plaintiff must prove that the medical professional’s actions or inactions deviated from the standard of care that a reasonable professional in the same field would provide. The standard of care could include both medical procedure and communication. Personal Injury lawsuits, on the other hand, are much broader and can be filed for any injury an individual suffered due to the negligence of someone else. This could include car accidents, falls, dog bites, and even product liability. In these cases, the plaintiff must be able to prove that the defendant’s negligence or carelessness caused the plaintiff’s injury. All in all, the main difference between a medical malpractice lawsuit and a personal injury lawsuit is that the former focuses on medical treatment and the latter can include any injury that happened due to negligence.

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