Medical malpractice is any mistake by a doctor so severe that it falls below the communitys standards of care. Not every bad outcome is medical malpractice, but when a decision was grossly negligent or unprofessional, victims should consider talking to a medical malpractice attorney. Experts estimate that failure to diagnose, incorrect medications, hospital-borne infections and other mistakes cause 98,000 deaths every year, to say nothing of the injuries and financial costs they cause. In a lawsuit, victims of medical malpractice can claim compensation for all of these losses.