Medical errors occur in all phases of practice. Emergency Room doctors and staff may fail to properly diagnose injuries. Nurses or pharmacists may inadvertently provide incorrect medication or fail to provide the proper dosage. Surgeons may make errors in the course of their procedures that cause serious, and sometimes fatal, injuries. In other cases, doctors fail to provide the proper care for the condition, even though they have properly diagnosed it.

"Standard of Care" is the basic measurement of the adequacy of medical care. The "standard of care" is the recognized procedure for diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries. While the law recognizes that doctors, nurses and other medical providers do not guarantee successful treatment, it does require that medical practitioners provide proper care to their patients. If the care provided does not meet the standard, medical providers, including doctors, nurses and hospitals, are liable for the injuries and harm that result. These damages include loss of wages, additional medical treatment, and pain and suffering caused by negligent medical care.