Four Elements of a Medical Malpractice Case

Malpractice lawsuits pose a real and real threat to physicians. They can increase insurance costs and could alter the way doctors practice.

In general, doctors have obligations to their patients to adhere to accepted medical practices. This is known as the standard of care.

To sue a doctor for negligence, the patient must demonstrate the following elements with a preponderance: duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages.

Duty of Care

The most important element of a medical malpractice case is that the party who suffered was owed a duty by the doctor who was not fulfilled. Contrary to other types of negligence cases, medical malpractice claims often involve the existence of an established relationship between the doctor and patient. This could be established through documents like a doctor's records and phone consultations. Generally, physicians who treat patients must follow the standards that are accepted in their profession and practice.

However, doctors may also be liable for the negligence of their staff members, such as assistants or interns. They may also be held accountable for the actions of emergency personnel working under their supervision.

The plaintiff has to prove that the defendant did not meet the standard care under the circumstances. This element is only able to be proved through expert testimony regarding acceptable medical practices and the defendant's failure follow these standards. The second factor is that the breach directly hurts the patient. To prove that you have committed a crime your lawyer needs to prove that the defendant's breach of duty directly caused your injury or the death of your loved one. This is called proximate cause. For instance, if negligence alleged by the defendant wouldn't have had an adverse effect on your health, regardless of whether it was done or not, then you wouldn't be able to recover damages for any injuries or deaths that were believed to have been caused by the doctor's actions.

Breach of Duty

A doctor who fails to fulfill his or her duty of professional care to a patient could be held accountable for negligent behavior. To prevail in a medical malpractice case, the injured party must prove four things: that there was a duty of medical care, that the physician breached the obligation, that the breach resulted in injury, and finally caused damage. The first aspect of a medical malpractice lawsuit is the standard of care, which is determined by expert testimony. The standard of care is defined as the things that an "reasonably prudent" doctor would do in similar circumstances.

A physician breaches this duty when he or she strays from the norm of care while treating the patient. For instance, if the physician breaks the arm of a patient when he fails to correctly set it or fails to cast the broken arm. The doctor's infraction of this duty causes the broken arm to heal incorrectly, resulting in the complete or partial loss of use and monetary damages.

In most instances, medical malpractice lawsuits are filed in state trial courts. However, in certain circumstances federal courts can be able to hear these cases. Each of the 94 federal district courts in the United States has a judge-jury panel that is able to hear medical malpractice cases. A majority of states have a system of state courts that are specialized to handle these cases, though they follow different rules for court procedure than federal district courts.

Causation

A patient could be entitled compensation for damages if medical malpractice law firm professionals fail to perform their duty to do no harm. A medical malpractice lawsuit could occur when a physician decides to administer a procedure that carries known risks, and the patient would not have opted out of the procedure if fully aware of all potential consequences.

The plaintiff in a medical malpractice lawsuit must show that the doctor did not adhere to accepted guidelines for practice, and that the doctor's negligence was a direct cause of the injury or illness that the patient was suffering from and Medical Malpractice Lawsuit that the ailment would not have happened but because of the negligence of the doctor. This burden of proof is known as the "preponderance of the evidence" standard, which is less demanding than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard to convict criminal defendants.

Medical malpractice lawsuits typically require expert testimony and lengthy pretrial discovery procedures. Both sides spend a lot of time and resources in preparing for a case, whether it settles or if it is a court case. This is a major reason that malpractice claims are costly for both the patient and the doctor involved. It is one of the main reasons that doctors and health care organizations support efforts to reform tort law in the United States.

Damages

Victims can be awarded punitive or compensatory damages depending on the nature of medical negligence. Compensation damages compensate victims for financial losses and expenses resulted from the negligence of the doctor like loss of income or cost of future medical care. Non-economic damages can include compensation for mental and physical stress.

Medical malpractice lawsuits are typically filed in a state trial court. There are a few instances where an action can be filed in federal courts. This is usually the situation when the doctor is employed by a federally-funded medical clinic, like the Veteran's administration, or if the doctor is from other country, but practices in the United States as part of an extraterritorial treaty.

Medical malpractice lawsuits are usually adversarial and require an extensive legal discovery. This includes written interrogatories, depositions, as well as requests for Medical Malpractice Lawsuit documents. Victims of alleged medical malpractice also may have to endure the pressure of the jury trial, and possibly face the threat of being rejected by a judge or dismissed by a jury.

To win a medical malpractice claim, you must prove that the medical error or negligence caused your injury. The damage must be serious enough that a monetary award is sufficient to cover your financial losses as well as emotional pain. In addition, New York medical malpractice laws have certain damage caps, as well as other limitations on the amount which can be awarded to a person who is successful in filing a claim.