Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Medical malpractice arises from a failure to employ adequate levels of care, skill or due diligence by a healthcare provider, doctor or nurse. Medical negligence can occur at any point in time a patient is under the care of a medical professional.

Under guidelines set forth by the United States Dept of Labor; doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, technicians, and other healthcare professionals are expected to meet certain standards of care and protocol. When being treated by a healthcare professional, whether it is during routine wellness visit or during a specialized procedure (such as a LASIK surgery), there should be no need to expect anything less than a competent level of expertise. As a qualified professional, it is their duty to ensure that these obligations are met.

Where Medical Malpractice Injuries Can Occur

Most medical services providers are sworn to “First, Do No Harm” and to uphold the Hippocratic Oath – a decree that is taken by physicians to practice medicine honestly and with the best intentions.

Unfortunately, medical malpractice can happen in any field of the healthcare industry and at any time. While there are a large variety of reasons why malpractice can happen, many are attributed simply to the large volume of patients that many medical facilities and their practitioners treat.

Some of the common areas of malpractice include (but are not limited to):

Emergency room errors
Injuries in a birthing room

General hospital negligence
Ingesting improperly prepared or stored hospital food

Common Types of Medical Negligence

Medical negligence is generally defined as the failure of a healthcare provider to provide an adequate level of treatment for their patient that causes or results in serious personal injury or death.

Negligence can be attributed to a number of different medical practitioners including (but not limited to); physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, anesthesiologists, and surgeons.

Several types of the most common medical negligence include (but are not limited to):

Pharmaceutical / Medication miscalculations
Birth defects or injuries
Misdiagnosis
Nursing home injuries and elder abuse

Anesthesia errors
Wrongful death
Hospital, physician, or nursing negligence

There are many areas in the healthcare industry that can be the source of negligence. What is most important is that before you visit a doctor, be sure to research their history online and, if possible, ask your friends and family for their recommendations.

All medical professionals must make snap decisions during surgery that ultimately could determine the patient’s fate. Unfortunately, costly mistakes happen during surgery. Medical professionals sometimes are not properly trained. They work long hours and face workplace stress. Any of these factors can lead to hospital negligence and potentially may set the stage for a wrongful death lawsuit.

Types of Surgical Mistakes

Surgical mistakes may include the following:

Anesthesia errors
Leaving surgical tools inside a patient’s body cavity after a procedure
Negligent amputation

Operation on wrong body part or patient
Use of improperly sterilized equipment

How to Handle Health Industry Insurance Companies and Underwriters

After a medical malpractice claim, it is common for an insurance assessor to be dispatched by the insurance provider of the at-fault party to help determine the level of injury and to perhaps talk with the victim about a settlement.

It is very important to remember that insurance company representatives do not have the victim’s interests or needs in mind. First and foremost they are employees of the insurance company and are trained to obtain sensitive information about the victim and their injury. All of which the insurance company can and will use against the injured party in a court of law.

Employing the services of a law firm will assist in answering questions the insurance companies will ask and provide direct correspondence with the insurance company through the firm.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys