Medical Attorney – A Professional in Medical Malpractice Cases
As a leading cause of serious injury and death in the United States, medical malpractice is responsible for hundreds of thousands of injuries each year and as many as 100,000 fatalities. Even with these alarming statistics and, different than popular belief, few victims ever move forward with legal action. In fact, only about 10-15 percent of medical malpractice victims or their families turn to a medical attorney for legal help.
It is important for those who have suffered injury due to the negligence of a healthcare professional to speak with a medical attorney. An attorney can help you discover if you have a viable case against those parties that caused you harm and help to determine how much compensation may be sought.
The Right to Be Compensated
Various state and federal laws provide medical malpractice victims and/or their families with the legal right to seek compensation for damages suffered due to another’s negligence or wrongdoing. The law does require victims to file a claim within a certain amount of time (called a statute of limitations), but those who file a case in a timely manner may be able to recover damages such as:
- Compensation for monetary losses – for expenses related to medical treatment and rehabilitation as well as wage losses and other expenses caused by the injury
- Compensation for non-monetary losses – for instance, pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of a loved one, loss of consortium, etc.
In some cases, the jury will award punitive damages. This type of compensation is designed to punish the defendant and deter acts of negligence in the future. Not all medical malpractice cases will end up in trail. A medical attorney will usually attempt to negotiate a settlement before going to trial.
When to Contact a Medical Attorney
As soon as you suspect that malpractice has occurred, you should contact a medical attorney. The following are some of the more common instances of malpractice for which individuals often seek the advice of a medical attorney:
- Surgery errors
- Medication mistakes
- Birth/delivery errors
- Lab errors
- Misdiagnosis/failure to diagnose
- Delayed treatment
- Infection caused by inadequate sterilization
Please note, however, that each case is unique and this list does not provide all possible examples of medical malpractice. It is important to contact a medical attorney if you have any questions as to whether medical negligence caused an injury or the death of a loved one.
Have Your Case Evaluated
You can have your case evaluated for free and learn more about the process by contacting a medical attorney. It is important to learn about your legal rights if you have been injured due to a medical error whether it is by a nurse, physician or the negligence of another healthcare professional. You may be entitled to compensation, and an attorney can help you obtain the money you deserve.
