One of the most frequent types of cases seen in medical malpractice is the failure to diagnose cancer. Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases and occurs when cells become abnormal and keep dividing and forming more cells without control. If cells continue to divide when new cells are not needed, a mass of excess tissue is formed; this is a tumor. Tumors can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Cancer cells can also invade nearby tissues or travel through the bloodstream to form additional tumors elsewhere. The spreading of cancer is referred to as metastasis.

According to a report published by the Institute of Medicine, at least 1.5 million Americans are injured, sickened, or killed each year due to prescription errors. These errors may be in the prescribing, dispensing or taking medications. Medical malpractice in the form of making errors in giving drugs to patients in hospitals is so common that, on average, a patient in a hospital will be subjected to a medication error each day he/she occupies a hospital bed.

Past studies have indicated that drug errors cause at least 400,000 preventable injuries and deaths in hospitals each year; more than 800,000 in nursing homes and other facilities for the elderly; and 530,000 among Medicare recipients treated in outpatient clinics.

A catastrophic injury is one which is devastating and usually permanent in nature causing you life-altering consequences. They have a severe impact on not only your life, but the lives of your family and friends as well. These types of injuries usually occur abruptly with no warning. Any injuries or conditions that cause impairment of at least one vital bodily function or a permanent loss of earning capacity are considered catastrophic. They include injuries such as the following.

· Accidental partial or total amputation
· Brain injury
· Loss of vision
· Multiple fractures
· Severe burns
· Spinal cord injury
· Other neurological disorders