What is medical malpractice?

Medical malpractice is a term applied to situations in which a health care provider exhibits professional negligence when handling a patient. In these cases, professional negligence includes carelessness, recklessness, and failure to perform up to certain, industry-set standards. Medical providers should have the training, knowledge and experience necessary to practice at the same level as others in their field. Examples of medical malpractice include misdiagnosis, unreasonable delay in treatment, hospital negligence, birth injuries, and pharmaceutical errors.