What Is a Medical Malpractice Claim?

A medical malpractice claim is the patient claiming carelessness by a healthcare worker. The patient, or or medical Malpractice lawyer his or Medical Malpractice Lawyer her estate in the case of a deceased patient, must show that the negligence caused injury or harm.

In general, lawsuits claiming medical negligence are filed in state trial courts. The patient who is affronted must prove four legal elements to prevail in a case:

Duty of care

To prove a legal claim, the plaintiff must demonstrate that they was legally obligated to perform a duty by a person or an organization and that they failed to fulfill it. In medical malpractice cases, it is the duty of doctors to provide the proper standard of care to their patients. This is usually determined by expert testimony.

Expert witnesses help determine the proper medical standards and then show how a doctor was not following those standards in their treatment of the patient. A medical malpractice lawyer for a plaintiff must then show that this error was directly responsible for the victim's injuries.

Expert testimony is essential since jurors are often unfamiliar with anatomy and have seen a variety of medical dramas. This is especially relevant in medical malpractice cases as it is often difficult to establish a reasonable standard of care. In a medical malpractice case the standard of care refers to the level of expertise of the practitioner, the quality of treatment, and the degree of diligence shown by other doctors in comparable specialties under similar circumstances.

In general, experts in medical malpractice cases are surgeons or physicians who have the same qualifications and board certifications. Due to the "conspiracy of silence" among a lot of doctors (a term lawyers use to describe the tendency of doctors not to testify against each other), it is often difficult to find an expert with the qualifications to testify against a colleague regarding the care that is not up to par.

Breach of duty

Medical malpractice occurs when a physician is negligent and hurts the patient. These errors can lead to new injuries or make preexisting ones worse. Medical malpractice cases are a complex set of issues and laws, making them difficult to prove. However, a qualified medical malpractice lawyer will review the circumstances of your case and determine if a doctor has violated his or her duty to the patient.

Your attorney will prove that there was a doctor-patient connection between you and your physician which is necessary for any malpractice claim. Your attorney will examine the actions and decisions of your physician to determine if the standard of care in your state for doctors who have similar backgrounds, training and geographical location is satisfied.

Physicians are required by their patients to adhere to these standards without deviation or omission. If they violate this duty, it means that the doctor did not meet those standards and resulted in injury to you.

Proving that a breach of duty occurred is generally straightforward with the aid of your attorney's research and expert witnesses. Experts can prove that the doctor's actions were not in accordance with the standard of medical treatment and also explain why another medical professional would have acted differently in similar circumstances. Your lawyer must also tie the breach of duty to your injuries and damages. Your lawyer will scrutinize your medical records tests, prescriptions, test results and imaging scans in order to construct an argument that proves the breach of duty committed by your physician directly contributed to your injuries.

Causation

Medical errors can increase the risks of a wide range of treatments. To prove the cause of malpractice in a claim an injured patient must establish a direct link between the negligence alleged and the injury. In many cases this will require expert testimony and the help of a medical malpractice lawyer.

Medical errors include errors in diagnosis, such as misdiagnosing serious illnesses or conditions. If doctors fail to detect cancer or other conditions it could result in severe consequences for the patient. In this scenario the patient may suffer excessive pain or even die. The doctor could be negligent for not diagnosing the issue properly.

Proving that a hospital or doctor has treated you in a negligent manner is a lengthy and difficult process. The evidence required could come from a variety of sources, including medical records and test results, as well as expert testimony from witnesses and oral depositions. An attorney can help you find and interpret this evidence, as well as assist you during the deposition process.

It is important to note that only healthcare professionals are liable for negligence. Nurses and doctors, as opposed to receptionists in medical centers, are expected to adhere to current standards of treatment. This means that a medical malpractice law firm professional must be able of predicting the outcomes in light of their expertise and education.

Damages

In medical malpractice cases the courts are able to determine monetary damages that are designed to compensate the patient who was injured. These damages could include past and future medical bills, lost wages, disfigurement and pain, and loss of enjoyment of life. Punitive damages are awarded in a few cases. These are awarded only to criminal acts that society is trying to discourage.

A medical malpractice case starts with the filing in the court of an administrative summons. Then, the parties will engage in discovery, a process in which the plaintiff and defendants disclose statements under swearing. This could include seeking medical records or other documents and depositions of the parties involved in a lawsuit and interviewing witnesses.

In a case of medical malpractice it is essential to establish that the doctor was legally obligated to provide treatment and care to the patient. The second aspect to prove is that the doctor violated the obligation by failing to adhere to the medical standard of care. The third element is whether the breach resulted in injury to the patient.

It is important to know that the statutes of limitations (the legally-imposed timeframe within which a lawsuit for medical malpractice has to be filed) vary from state to state. In New York, the statute of limitations is two years and six months (30 months) from the date on the date that the underlying cause of medical malpractice occurred.