Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Medical professionals must follow an ethical standard in their care of patients. If a health-care provider does not adhere to this standard, and if the failure results in injuries or complications for the patient, there could be grounds for a malpractice lawsuit.

A successful malpractice lawsuit can aid in the payment of medical expenses pay back lost wages, and acknowledge the pain and suffering. Medical malpractice lawsuits aren't always straightforward.

Incorrect diagnosis

Medical malpractice lawsuits involving misdiagnosis are not uncommon. This type of claim usually involves a medical malpractice law firms professional mistakenly diagnosing a patient who has an illness or injury. A physician may diagnose a patient with pneumonia, but 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, claims related to diagnosis comprise between 9 percent and 91 percent of claims (obstetrics and 61 percent for pediatrics) or their total claims. However the information on medical malpractice claims is limited and may be biased towards more serious mistakes. Claims are often closed or abandoned without payment and a lot of good mistakes do not result in a malpractice suit.

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

The process of bringing medical malpractice cases can be expensive as well as time-consuming and emotionally charged. Although the majority of medical malpractice cases settle in court, attorneys representing both parties as well as experts have to devote time and money on negotiation, discovery, as well as trial preparation. Doctors are also often required to pay their malpractice costs as the claims process is unfolding. These expenses have prompted some to call for tort reform which would reduce the cost and encourage quicker settlements.

Treatment Errors

When you visit a hospital or doctor to receive treatment, the care you receive will be in accordance to the standard of care in your community. This includes a proper diagnosis, a reasonable treatment plan and appropriate follow-up to ensure your health improves. However, errors made by doctors, nurses or other medical personnel could be severe and result in permanent injuries or even death.

These mistakes can take a variety of forms. A hospital staff member may miss-read the patient's chart and prescribe the wrong medication. This type of mistake typically occurs in emergency rooms, where the time available is limited and staff members are pressured to offer quick service. This could also happen when a doctor treats a condition which is outside their expertise.

Other types of errors include prescribing the wrong drugs or giving patients the wrong dosage that causes injuries. These errors can be committed by pharmacists, doctors nurse practitioners, physician's assistants and optometrists. These errors may also include failing to recommend or prescribe the necessary follow-up treatment to fix the mistake.

Incorrect medication can result in a wide range of serious injuries. For example, taking a blood thinner that is specifically designed for heart patients could lead to a dangerous bleeding disorder or cause the patient to experience stroke. If you've suffered an injury or lost a loved one to a medical mistake It is imperative to consult with a skilled New York medical malpractice lawyer to determine whether you can pursue compensation.

Negligence

Negligence can result of doctors or medical professionals not adhering to accepted standards. This can occur in many different settings, including hospitals, doctor's office, therapy clinics and nursing homes. If a doctor does not adhere to these rules and the patient is permanently hurt it could be necessary to pay for the damage.

In order to prevail in a claim for malpractice the party who was injured has to establish that the doctor's failure in professional obligations caused the injuries. This is known as causation, and is a vital element of the legal standard. The breach has to be a direct cause of the injury and the damage that was caused must be quantifiable. For instance, medical expenses or lost wages.

In cases of medical malpractice an attorney for a plaintiff must also convince the jury that it is more likely than not that the physician's actions or inactions resulted in the damages sought. This can be a difficult task as people are not always able to recall their actions or are affected by the opinions that the opposing side is going to argue.

It is crucial that the lawyer is knowledgeable of how the medical field operates. This knowledge can be used to show that the breach in professional duties caused the patient's injury. Medical malpractice cases are filed in federal or state courts. They often have expert witnesses who explain how the standard of care was breached.

Punitive Damages

We assume that medical professionals will provide us with the best care and professionalism. However, serious mistakes can happen that can cause life-long injuries or even death. If those errors result in wrongful death, victims and their families could be entitled to compensation for loss they've suffered.

In cases of wrongful death, there are lawsuits against hospitals, doctors nurses, physical therapists pharmacists as well as diagnostic imaging technicians and even manufacturers of medical equipment. Since several parties could be involved in a case, it's generally recommended for victims to make claims against all of them and work with their New York medical malpractice lawyers to determine which people or companies need to be sued.

Punitive damages seek to penalize the defendant for their actions and Medical malpractice Attorneys prevent them from repeating the same behavior in the future. Punitive damages aren't limited to specific harms. They can be applied to a large category of people and are only available for extreme infractions.

In a medical malpractice case the primary category of damages is reimbursement for financial losses. This includes medical expenses and lost wages. Your New York medical negligence lawyer can help you determine the amount of your losses by providing expert testimony about what constitutes a breach of standard of care in the area of the case and the specialty. This is a crucial step because without this evidence, your case could be dismissed at the initial hearing level.