What are therapeutic injuries?

Therapeutic injuries refer specifically to injuries that occur as a result of medical procedures or interventions meant to treat or diagnose a health issue. These injuries can happen despite the presence of skilled medical professionals and may arise from various factors such as surgical complications, adverse reactions to medications, or unintended actions during treatment. Understanding that these injuries stem from the very processes intended to promote healing highlights the complex nature of medical care—it is possible for interventions to lead to harm, even when applied with the best intentions.

In contrast, injuries from accidents, self-inflicted injuries, and injuries from physical abuse do not fall under the category of therapeutic injuries because they arise from different contexts not directly connected to medical treatment or intervention. The importance of distinguishing between therapeutic injuries and other types of injuries is crucial for concepts related to medical ethics, malpractice assessments, and patient safety initiatives.