When you visit a doctor or hospital, you plan on getting treated and feeling better afterward. However, if the situation worsens due to intentional acts or negligence of a physician, one must be cautious, as this might be a case of medical wrongdoing. If a medic or nurse makes mistakes, injuries can occur. The patient’s condition can be affected even if the doctors performed the treatment or surgery in compliance with the rules and regulations defined by medical standards. In that scenario, you don’t have a case. However, if you are injured and exposed to a lifelong injury because of careless actions by medical professionals, you need adequate proof and documentation to make a claim. That’s why it’s important to understand medical malpractice, its injuries, examples, and the damages that can be recovered through a lawsuit.
If you or your close one has been a victim of medical malpractice, then you need a seasoned attorney who can not only fight for you but also achieve the outcome you are hoping for. To know more about how a lawyer can help, visit www.fightingforfairness.com.
What’s Medical Malpractice?
There are over 6,000 hospitals in the United States, with about 36 million annual admissions. The staff needed to care for that number of patients is often not adequately matched, and on top of that, medical facilities frequently make budget cuts. This outlines the situation for potential injury or mistakes, and as a result, patients usually don’t receive the quality treatment they hope for. Sometimes getting a doctor at a scheduled or urgent time becomes an issue; other times, it’s due to their rushed or negligent actions. When these things happen, it can result in injury or even death. At that time, one should consider taking legal action.
In simple terms, medical malpractice refers to the negligent actions and inactions of medical professionals that lead to injury and life-threatening fatalities. It might seem easy, but standing against authorities like large hospitals is risky and challenging. They are backed by financial resources, hospital professionals and staff, and top-notch legal representatives.
Common Examples of Medical Malpractice:
- Missed or delayed diagnosis
- Birth injuries
- Surgical errors
- Medication errors
- Defective medical tools and devices
What to Do in Case of Medical Malpractice?
Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might ignore or not care whether something happened due to the negligence of the person who was supposed to treat you. However, if you feel the condition has not improved, report this to your doctor or nurse, and make sure they keep a record. Alongside this, maintain your documentation as proof.
Moreover, keep track of all medical treatments, doctor’s appointments, and bills. It will help your counselor evaluate your case’s worth quickly. If you are still suffering from the injury, consult another specialized doctor.
Damages That Can Be Argued in Medical Malpractice Cases:
As a victim who has suffered a great loss due to medical malpractice, you have the constitutional right to file a civil case against the authorities who caused or contributed to it. Contact an attorney; they will evaluate your injury, situation, medical costs, and overall damages to estimate the appropriate amount for your claim.
There are economic damages and non-economic damages that one can claim while filing a medical malpractice case.
Economic damages include all tangible costs, such as medical treatments, doctor’s appointments, and other relevant billables. You must have the proper receipts and documentation for these.
Non-economic damages account for the harm that has affected the plaintiff’s mental and emotional state. If one is suffering from pain, depression, anxiety, or trauma, this is also considered when evaluating the payout to compensate for your losses.
