Four Elements of a Medical Malpractice Case

Malpractice lawsuits pose a real and feared threat for physicians. They increase insurance costs and can alter the practice of medicine.

In general doctors owe patients the duty to uphold the accepted medical practice without deviation or infraction. This is called the standard of care.

To successfully claim a doctor's negligence, the patient must show each of these legal elements with a preponderance of evidence: breach of duty, breach of duty; causation; and Vimeo.Com damages.

Duty of Care

The most important element in a medical malpractice case is that the injured person was owed a duty to a doctor that was violated. Medical malpractice claims are different from other types of negligence cases because they typically involve a doctor-patient relationship, which is established through documents from a doctor or telephone consultations. In general, doctors who treat patients must adhere to the accepted standards of their profession and practice.

Doctors could also be held accountable for the negligence or incompetence of their staff, such as interns or assistants. They may also be held responsible for the actions of emergency personnel working under their supervision.

The plaintiff has to show that the defendant's actions did not meet the standard care under the circumstances. This element can be proven by expert testimony regarding acceptable medical procedures and the defendant's failure to adhere to these standards. The other element is that the breach directly affected the patient. To prove malpractice, your lawyer will need to prove that the defendant's breach of duty directly caused your injury or the wrongful death of your loved one. This is referred to as proximate causation. For example, if the negligent treatment alleged to have caused the injury would not have had an adverse effect on your health regardless of whether it was done or not, then you wouldn't be able to claim damages for any injuries or deaths that were caused by the doctor's actions.

Breach of Duty

A doctor who does not fulfill their obligation of care to the client could be held responsible for negligence. To prevail in a medical malpractice case, the victim must prove four legal aspects: a duty of professional care was in place and the doctor violated this obligation; the breach led to injury; and the result caused damages. The standard of care is the primary aspect in a medical malpractice case, and is determined by the testimony of an expert. The standard of care is the amount an "reasonably prudent" doctor would do under similar or identical circumstances.

The breach of this duty occurs when he/she deviates from the standard of care while providing treatment to the patient. For instance, if the physician breaks the arm of a patient when he is not able to properly set the arm or fails to cast the broken arm. The doctor's lapse in duty causes the broken arm to heal improperly, which results in a complete or partial loss of use and subsequent monetary damages.

In the majority of instances, medical malpractice lawsuits are filed with state trial courts. However, in certain circumstances federal courts are also able to hear these claims. The 94 federal district courts across the United States each have a jury and judge panel that is responsible for hearing these cases. Most states have special state courts that deal with the cases, although they have different rules of court procedure than federal district courts.

Causation

Physicians take an oath to avoid harm, and when they fail to fulfill this duty and cause harm patients may be entitled to compensation for the damages. A medical malpractice lawsuit could occur when a physician decides to administer a procedure which has known risks and the patient would have opted to not undergo the procedure if they had been fully aware of all potential consequences.

In a medical malpractice lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove that the doctor did not act in accordance with accepted standards of practice. This breach was the sole cause of any injury or illness that the patient suffered, and the injury would never have occurred but due to the negligence of the doctor. This burden of proof is referred to as the "preponderance of the evidence" standard that is less arduous than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard to convict criminal defendants.

Medical malpractice lawsuits typically require expert witness testimony and long discovery procedures prior to trial. If the case settles or goes to trial, attorneys on both sides spend substantial time and resources in preparation for the issue. This is a major reason why malpractice claims are so costly to both the plaintiff and the physician involved, and it is one of the main reasons that health care professionals and physicians organizations support efforts to change tort law in the United States.

Damages

In the event of morris medical malpractice lawsuit negligence, the victims may be able to recover punitive and compensatory damages. Compensatory damages pay for monetary losses and expenses caused by the negligence of a physician, such as loss of income or cost of future medical treatments. Non-economic damages can include the compensation for physical and mental anguish.

Medical malpractice lawsuits are filed in state trial courts. However, there are some instances where a lawsuit can be filed in federal court. It is usually the case when doctors are employed by a clinic that is funded by federal funds such as the Veteran's Administration or when the doctor is from another country but is practicing in the United States as part of an agreement with extraterritorial authority.

Medical malpractice lawsuits are adversarial and require extensive legal discovery. This includes depositions, written interrogatories, and requests for the production of documents. Patients who are accused of medical malpractice also may have to endure the pressure of a jury trial and potentially risk being denied their claim by a judge or dismissed by the jury.

You must prove that medical negligence, or error was the cause of your injury in order to be awarded a lawsuit for medical malpractice. The injury must be serious enough to warrant a financial award that covers your financial losses as well as emotional pain. New York medical malpractice law also has specific damages caps, as well as other restrictions on the amount patients can be awarded if they successfully make a claim.