---
title: What is the definition of medical malpractice?
description: "\"Discover the true meaning behind medical malpractice with Legal Faqs. Our latest blog dives into the essential definition and how it affects patients and healthcare professionals. Stay informed and learn more about medical malpractice today.\""
image: https://www.legalfaq.ai/hubfs/LegalFAQ/malpractice-legal-faqs.jpg
---

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 March 30, 2023

# What is the definition of medical malpractice?

![Picture of Chris Battis](https://www.legalfaq.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/battis-mug.jpg?width=50&name=battis-mug.jpg) By  [Chris Battis](https://www.legalfaq.ai/faqs/author/chris-battis)  ·   1 minute read

## Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is a legal term that refers to negligence or misconduct by a healthcare professional that causes harm or injury to a patient. In legal terms, medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare professional fails to meet the accepted standards of care in their specialty, which results in harm to the patient.

To prove medical malpractice, the following elements must be present:

1. Duty: The healthcare professional had a duty to provide care to the patient.
2. Breach: The healthcare professional breached the duty of care by failing to provide care in a manner that meets the accepted standard of care.
3. Causation: The breach of duty caused the patient harm.
4. Damages: The harm caused by the healthcare professional's breach of duty resulted in damages to the patient, such as physical pain, emotional anguish, lost wages, and medical expenses.

It's important to note that not all medical complications or unfavorable outcomes qualify as medical malpractice. To establish medical malpractice, the healthcare professional must have failed to provide care that meets the standard of care that a reasonable healthcare professional in the same position would have provided.

If you believe that you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, you should contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney who can evaluate your case and determine your legal options.

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