Medical negligence is related to the recognized standard duty of care in that failing to meet the standard duty of care constitutes medical negligence. However, medical negligence does not always constitute medical malpractice.
Medical negligence refers to the actions committed by a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professionals that do not meet the standard duty of care that is accepted by the medical community. In other words, the action does not rise to the accepted standard that would have been met if a similarly skilled professional would have cared for the neglected patient in another setting.
Medical negligence does not constitute medical malpractice on its own. In order to rise to the standard of medical malpractice, an injury must have occurred as a result of the medical action. In the legal community, these standards are referred to as legal causation and damages. It can be complicated to sort through the legal standards and definitions required to build a solid case, especially in medical malpractice claims. During these times, you should strongly consider consulting with a personal injury attorney with experience dealing with medical malpractice in order to make sure you are building the strongest case possible.