Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when they care for their patients. If a health-care provider fails to adhere to this standard and that failure results in injuries or other complications for the patient, there could be grounds for a malpractice claim.

A successful malpractice suit can aid in paying medical expenses as well as recoup lost wages and acknowledge pain and suffering. However, medical malpractice claims can be complicated.

Misdiagnosis

Medical malpractice claims that involve incorrect diagnosis are common. This type of claim usually involves a medical professional incorrectly diagnosing a patient with an injury or illness. For instance, a physician may diagnose a patient with pneumonia, but the patient actually has a staph infection. A misdiagnosis could cause serious consequences for the patient including death.

According to medical malpractice insurance companies, Additional Info claims related to diagnosis represent between 9 and 10 percent of claims (obstetrics and 61 percent in pediatrics) or their total claims. Medical malpractice claims data are limited and could be biased towards more severe mistakes. The claims are usually closed or lapse without payment and many erroneous mistakes do not result in the filing of a malpractice lawsuit.

To be able to successfully file a medical malpractice attorneys malpractice claim, the plaintiff must prove that the doctor acted in violation of the standard of care in diagnosing the condition. The lawyer representing the plaintiff must demonstrate that the doctor's error directly led to an injury.

The litigation process in a medical malpractice case can be costly emotional, time-consuming, and stressful. While the majority of medical malpractice cases are settled out of court lawyers and expert witnesses need to invest time and money in discovery, negotiations and trial preparation. Physicians are also frequently required to pay malpractice insurance when the claims process unfolds. This has led to calls for reforms to the tort system which would lower the cost of litigation as well as encourage quicker and fair settlements.

Errors in Treatment

If you visit a doctor or hospital to receive treatment, you are expected to receive medical treatment that is in accordance with the standard practices in your community. This includes accurate diagnosis and treatment, a reasonable treatment plan, and the proper follow-up to ensure that your health improves. However, errors made by doctors, nurses or other medical personnel can be very serious and result in permanent injuries or even death.

These mistakes can take a variety of forms. A hospital employee could miss-read the patient's chart and then administer the wrong medication. This type of error is usually seen in emergency rooms in which staff are under pressure and their time is limited. It can also happen when a doctor is treating an illness that is not within the scope of expertise.

Other kinds of errors include prescribing the wrong drugs or giving patients an incorrect dosage that results in injuries. These errors can be made by doctors, nurse practitioners and pharmacists, physician assistants and optometrists. These mistakes can also be a result of the failure to suggest or prescribe the follow-up procedure to rectify the error.

Errors in the prescription process can cause various serious injuries. When a heart patient is taking a medication, blood thinners can cause an extremely dangerous bleeding disorder. It could also lead to stroke. If you have suffered an injury or lost a loved one to a medical error, it is crucial to consult with an experienced New York medical malpractice law firm malpractice lawyer to determine if you are able to pursue compensation.

Negligence

Negligence can result of doctors or medical professionals not following accepted standards. This can happen in a variety of situations, including hospitals, doctors' offices, therapy clinics and nursing homes. If a physician fails to meet those guidelines and the patient suffers permanent harm, they may be required to compensate the victim for that injury.

To win a malpractice case the person who suffered the injury must show that the physician's breach of professional duty caused his or her injuries. Causation is a legal requirement that is essential. The breach must be a direct cause of the injury, and the damages must be quantifiable.

In the case of medical malpractice the lawyer representing the plaintiff must convince jurors that it is more likely than not that a doctor's actions or inactions contributed to the damages sought. This is a challenging task since people aren't always in a clear mind or are affected by the opinions that the opposing side will argue.

It is essential that the lawyer also has a good understanding of how the medical field operates. This knowledge can help to demonstrate that the breach of professional duty was the primary cause of the patient's injuries. Medical malpractice cases can be filed in federal or state courts. They usually require expert witnesses to explain the standard of care that was not met.

Punitive Damages

We often take for granted that we can trust medical professionals to treat us with competence and care. But mistakes can be serious, leading to lifelong injuries or even death. If these errors lead to a wrongful demise, the victims and their families could be entitled to compensation for loss they've suffered.

In wrongful death cases hospitals, doctors and nurses, physical therapists and pharmacists and diagnostic imaging technicians and manufacturers of medical equipment, can be sued. Because many parties could be accountable it's usually recommended for victims to claim against them all and work with their New York medical malpractice lawyers to determine which persons or businesses should be sued.

Punitive damages seek to penalize the defendant for their conduct and discourage them from repeating the same mistake in the future. Punitive damages are not limited to specific damages. They can be applied to a whole category of people and are reserved for extreme misconduct.

In a medical malpractice case the primary category of damages is remuneration for financial losses. This includes medical expenses and lost wages. Your New York medical malpractice lawyer can assist you in determining the amount of your losses by providing an expert opinion on what constitutes a breach of standard of care in the area of your case and in the field of specialization. This is a crucial step, because without the evidence you need to support your claim, it may be dismissed during the preliminary hearing.