Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Medical professionals must comply with a standard of care in their care of patients. If a health care provider does not adhere to this standard, and this breach causes injuries or complications to the patient, medical malpractice it may be cause for a claim for negligence.
A successful malpractice lawsuit can aid in the payment of medical expenses, reimburse lost wages, and acknowledge pain and discomfort. However, medical malpractice claims are often complicated.
Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis is one of the most common medical malpractice claims. This type of case typically involves a medical professional incorrectly diagnosing a patient with an illness or injury. A physician may diagnose a patient with pneumonia when in fact the patient is suffering from staph. A misdiagnosis could have serious consequences, such as death.
According to medical malpractice insurers, diagnosis-related malpractice claims account for 9 percent (obstetrics) and 61 percent (pediatrics) of their total claims. Medical malpractice claims are not as extensive and could be biased towards more serious mistakes. Additionally, claims are often denied or are dismissed without being paid, and many meritorious errors do not result in a malpractice lawsuit.
A plaintiff must prove that, in order to be successful in a lawsuit for medical negligence, that the doctor failed to follow the standard of care when diagnosing the condition. The lawyer representing the plaintiff needs to demonstrate that the doctor’s error directly triggered an injury.
The process of bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit can be long-winded, costly and emotionally high. Although the majority of medical malpractice cases are settled out of court lawyers and expert witnesses have to spend time and money on negotiations, discovery and trial preparation. In addition, doctors are often forced to pay the premiums for malpractice insurance while the claims process is in progress. These costs have prompted calls for reforms to the tort system which could reduce the cost of litigation as well as encourage faster and more fair settlements.
Errors in Treatment
When you visit a physician or hospital for treatment, you’re expected to receive medical attention that is consistent with the established standards of practice within your area. This includes a correct diagnosis and a reasonable treatment plan and a proper follow-up to ensure that your health improves. However, mistakes made by nurses, doctors and other medical professionals can be serious and result in permanent injuries or death.
These mistakes can take a variety of forms. For instance hospital staff members could misread the patient’s chart and give the wrong medication. This kind of error is common in emergency rooms in which staff are under pressure and their time is a problem. It could also occur when a physician is treating an issue that is outside of the scope of expertise.
Other kinds of errors could include prescribing wrong medications or prescribing the wrong dosage to patients that can cause injury. These mistakes can be made by pharmacists, doctors nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants and optometrists. They could also result in an inability to prescribe or recommend follow-up care required to correct the error.
Incorrect medication can cause many serious injuries. For example, taking the wrong blood thinner specifically designed for heart patients could result in a risky bleeding disorder or cause the patient to experience stroke. If you’ve suffered an injury or lost your loved ones due to a medical mistake it is vital to consult with a skilled New York medical malpractice lawyer to determine if you can seek compensation.
Negligence
When medical professionals or doctors do not follow accepted standards of care, they could be liable for carelessness. This can occur in a variety of situations, including hospitals, therapy clinics, doctor’s offices and nursing homes. If a physician violates those standards and the patient suffers lasting harm the doctor may be required to compensate the victim for the injury.
In order to win a malpractice case the person who suffered the injury must demonstrate that the physician’s lapse in the discharge of professional duties caused his or her injuries. This is known as causation and is a crucial element of the legal standard. The breach must have been directly responsible for the injury. The damage that was caused must be quantifiable. This includes medical expenses or lost wages.
In cases of medical malpractice the attorney representing the plaintiff must also convince the jury that it is more probable than not that the physician’s decision or inaction resulted in the damages demanded. This can be a difficult task because people aren’t always in a clear mind or are influenced by what they think that the opposing side will say.
It is also crucial that the lawyer has a thorough understanding of the medical profession and how it functions. This understanding can help establish that the breach of professional duty was the primary cause of the patient’s injuries. Medical malpractice cases are filed in state or federal courts. They often include expert witnesses who explain how the standard of care was breached.
Punitive Damages
We often take for granted that we can trust medical professionals to treat us with skill and care. However, serious mistakes can happen and cause permanent injuries or even death. If these mistakes result in a wrongful demise, the victims and their families may be entitled to compensation for the damages they’ve suffered.
The wrongful death case can involve lawsuits against hospitals, doctors nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists diagnostic imaging technicians and even manufacturers of medical malpractice law firms equipment. Because multiple parties could be at fault it is often recommended for victims to claim against all of them and work with their New York medical malpractice lawyers to determine which people or businesses need to be sued.
Punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant and discourage them from repeating the same behavior in the future. Punitive damages aren’t limited to specific ailments. They can be applied to any category of people and are only available for extreme wrongdoing.
In a medical malpractice case the primary category of damages is the reimbursement for financial losses. This includes medical costs and lost wages. Your New York medical malpractice lawyer can help you establish the amount of your losses by providing an expert’s opinion on what constitutes a breach of standard of care within the area of your case and in the field of specialization. This is an essential procedure, since without the evidence you need to prove your case, it could be dismissed at the initial hearing.