Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Medical professionals must adhere to an ethical standard when they care for their patients. If a healthcare professional does not meet the standard of care, and this negligence causes injuries or complications to the patient, it could be a cause for a claim for negligence.

A successful malpractice lawsuit may help pay for hillsborough medical malpractice law firm costs as well as pay back lost wages and acknowledge discomfort and pain. However, medical malpractice claims can be complicated.

Undiagnosed

Medical malpractice lawsuits involving misdiagnosis are quite common. This type of case typically involves a brockton medical malpractice lawyer professional incorrectly diagnosing a patient with an illness or injury. A physician might identify a patient as having pneumonia, when in reality the patient is suffering from staph. A misdiagnosis could cause serious consequences for the patient including death.

According to medical malpractice insurance companies, diagnosis-related malpractice claims account for between 9 percent (obstetrics) and 61 percent (pediatrics) of their total claims. Medical malpractice claims data are limited and could be biased towards more serious mistakes. Claims are often dismissed or lapsed without payment, and many meritorious mistakes will never lead to an action in a malpractice suit.

A plaintiff must show that, in order to prevail on an action for medical malpractice, that the doctor did not adhere to the standard of care when diagnosing the condition. A lawyer representing the plaintiff must demonstrate that the doctor's error resulted in injury.

The litigation process in medical malpractice cases can be costly as well as time-consuming and emotionally charged. While the majority of medical malpractice claims are settled outside of court, attorneys and expert witnesses have to invest time and money in negotiations, discovery, and trial preparation. In addition, physicians are often forced to pay their malpractice insurance premiums as the claims process proceeds. These expenses have led some to advocate for tort reform which could reduce the amount and encourage quicker settlements.

Treatment errors

If you visit a doctor or hospital for treatment, you expect to receive medical care that conforms to the accepted standards of practice within your area. This includes a proper diagnosis and a suitable treatment plan and appropriate follow-up to ensure your health improves. However, mistakes made by doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel can be serious and lead to permanent injuries or death.

These errors can take many forms. Hospital staff members could miss-read the patient's chart and then administer the wrong medication. This type of error is common in emergency rooms in which staff are under pressure and time is a problem. It can also happen if the doctor treats a problem that isn't within his or her area of expertise.

Other kinds of errors could include prescribing incorrect medications or prescribing patients with the wrong dosage which could cause injury. These mistakes can be committed by doctors, nurse practitioners as we how the standard medical care was not met.

Punitive Damages

We tend to assume that we can trust medical professionals to treat us with skill and care. Incorrect treatment can result in serious injuries or even death. If these errors cause wrongful death, victims and their family members may be entitled to compensation for the losses they've suffered.

In cases of wrongful death, there are claims against doctors, hospitals nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists and diagnostic imaging technicians and even medical equipment. It is essential to sue all the parties involved, since there could be multiple parties responsible. Victims should work with their New York medical negligence lawyers to determine which individuals or firms are accountable.

Punitive damages are intended to penalize the defendant and deter them from repeating similar actions in the future. Contrary to compensatory damages which are intended to remedy specific damages, punitive damages can be applied to a whole group of people, and they are usually reserved for cases of extreme misconduct.

The primary type of damages in medical malpractice lawsuits is reimbursement for actual financial losses, which include expenses for medical treatment and lost wages. Your New York medical negligence lawyer can help you determine the amount of your losses by presenting expert testimony on what constitutes a violation of the standard care in the area of the case and the specialty. This is a crucial step since without this evidence, your case could be dismissed at the initial hearing.