Medical
Malpractice Questions & Answers
MedLaw
Legal Team Attorneys / Physicians Lawyers Practice - Lawyers serving
Maryland and U.S. victims of medical malpractice
What is medical malpractice or
medical negligence?
What are typical medical malpractice claims?
How common is medical malpractice?
When should I suspect that my injuries were caused by
medical malpractice?
What should I do if I have been a victim of medical
malpractice?
What else can I do besides sue for malpractice?
What is medical malpractice or
medical negligence?
Although the legal definition may vary
slightly from state to state, as a general rule medical malpractice
(also known as medical negligence) means that a health care provider
caused injury or death to a patient by failing to act within the
applicable standard of care.
In other words, a physician or other
health care provider commits medical malpractice and is negligent when
he or she fails to act reasonably under the circumstances and the
unreasonable conduct causes harm.
What are typical medical
malpractice claims?
Lawsuits against health institutions
and/or physicians, medical malpractice commonly occurs under the
following circumstances:
- Birth Injury
- Surgical Negligence
- Anesthesia Malpractice
- Contaminated Blood
- Prognosis Misdiagnosis
- Injury from Prescription Drugs /
Overdoses
How common is medical
malpractice?
Unfortunately, medical mistakes are
common place in the United States. A recently published study by the
Institute of Medicine reported that up to 98,000 people die each year
in American hospitals due to medical mistakes. (To
Err is Human. Linda T. Kohn, et al. eds. Washington, D.C.: National
Academy Press, 2000.) That means that
medical mistakes are the 8th leading cause of death in Our Country.
Medical
malpractice mistakes involving medication errors cause injuries to over
1.3 million persons a year.
When should I suspect that my injuries were
caused by medical malpractice?
Not all medical mistakes are malpractice,
but if you or a loved one has suffered an unexpected serious injury or
death, you should question whether the injury or death was caused by
medical negligence. You owe it to yourself and your family to know the
truth and to hold the health care provider responsible for the harm he
or she caused. Millions of dollars may be at stake.
For example, perhaps your child was born
with Cerebral Palsy (CP). The costs of providing proper care for
such a child over a lifetime can exceed million of dollars. If
your child has CP you should consider whether it is the result of
negligence on the part of the doctor who managed your pregnancy and/or
labor and delivery. If so, he or she should be held financially
responsible for the harm caused to you and your child.
Likewise, maybe you were diagnosed with
cancer at a point when the cure rate was not encouraging, or a loved one
passed away unexpectedly. The emotional and financial impact on you and
your family is devastating. This should cause you to ask whether there
was a negligent delay in diagnosing the cancer, or whether your loved
one died as a result of malpractice. You have the right to
hold a wrongdoer responsible for the harm his or her carelessness
caused.
What should I do if I have been
a victim of medical malpractice?
You
may be experiencing pain and suffering and severe financial hardships.
You should not go through this difficult time alone.
You, the patient, should not be paying for your doctor's mistakes
or negligence. If you or a
loved one are living with the consequences of a misdiagnosis, it is
important to contact an experienced lawyer who can protect your rights
and get you the compensation to which you are entitled.
Contact
us at malpractice@medlawlegalteam
or 1-888-4-MEDLAW.
We may advise you to request a full copy of your medical records
as soon as possible. Our MedLaw
Legal Team of nurse lawyers, on staff board certified OB-GYN, and
registered nurse paralegals will review your medical records and
will promptly let you know if you have a case.
What else can I do besides sue for malpractice?
The first step, other than filing a
lawsuit, includes informing the professional who performed the service.
The professional may not know that there is a problem. Most doctors /
pharmacists are honest and will take action to correct a mistake. This
helps you to obtain immediate relief and allows the responsible party to
correct the error before others are harmed. Additionally, state
regulatory boards and licensing authorities can be a source for review
and disciplinary actions. Penalties and fines, including the suspension
or revocation of a license, can be imposed by state agencies and
organizations.
If you
feel that you have a personal injury or other claim after finding that
your family member was seriously injured, please
contact us. Our physician / lawyers team
will review your case. The initial consultation is free and we are
dedicated to recovering substantial damages
for our clients who have suffered from medical malpractice.
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