Before you get in touch with a medical malpractice law firm, check if there is enough reason to establish liability first
It’s not uncommon for someone to threaten a doctor for medical malpractice when they don’t get the results that they had hoped for. However, for your case to hold any weight in court, you want to make sure that there has, indeed, been a failure in the delivery of the appropriate standard of care.
So before you get in touch with a medical malpractice law firm, check if there is enough reason to establish liability first.
- Misdiagnosis
When a doctor fails to identify your condition or gives you a diagnosis of a condition that you don’t have, then this can qualify as misdiagnosis. Your chances of recovering compensation in case of misdiagnosis will further be increased if said misdiagnosis has caused your prior condition to worsen.
Your medical malpractice lawyer should be able to help you gather the necessary documents and testimonies for your case. However, to expedite the process, you can prepare ahead by checking to consult with a more competent doctor and securing his or her testimony.
- Birth injury
If you suspect that your doctor has caused a lifelong medical issue to your newborn, then this can qualify as a birth injury. Fractures, nerve damage, and developmental disorders are just some of the conditions that may have resulted from this particular malpractice.
It’s only natural for you to pursue compensation for your newborn. With the help of a medical malpractice law firm, you will at least be able to secure the funds to give your child adequate medical attention.
- Surgical errors
Just because you signed a waiver with your hospital does not mean that anything that happens on the surgery table absolves your doctor from any fault. In the practice of medicine, there are such things as “never events,” and these detail the errors that should never occur in the medical field. For example, operating on a wrong body part or administering the incorrect dosage of anesthesia should never happen – waiver or no waiver.
If an error during surgery has occurred to you or a loved one, make sure to take swift action by contacting a lawyer who specializes in medical malpractice right away.
- Medication errors
When a doctor, nurse, or any medical professional prescribes or administers medicine that is incorrect, resulting in varying degrees of damages, then you can hold them liable in court. A medication error can be closely linked to misdiagnosis and will further your case in case it ever goes to court.
- Medical product liability
Of course, doctors and nurses aren’t the only ones capable of committing medical malpractice. Sometimes, pharmacies may be sued for providing the wrong medicine as ordered. Likewise, faulty hospital equipment and devices can be traced back to their manufacturer as well. If it is established that there has been negligence on the part of the manufacturer in checking for defects, then you will be subject to compensation from the corporation.
A lawyer will be able to protect your rights and negotiate the appropriate compensation for you in cases similar to this.
- Failure to treat
Other times, doctors may be able to correctly identify the cause of an ailment, but fail in the recommendation of treatment for the patient. When this happens, medical malpractice may be established. This is often the result of a doctor getting too much foot traffic in his clinic and being too busy to provide adequate care that the patient requires. Examples that warrant this type of medical malpractice include discharging a patient too soon, not giving instructions for follow-up care, and not forwarding the patient’s case to another medical specialist as the situation requires.
Join the conversation!