When you go see a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional, you tend to trust their training and judgment. Sadly, that trust can be broken when a health care professional’s negligence or failure to meet the standard of care causes bodily harm or death to a patient. Medical malpractice can be a truly devastating situation for families. However, not all medical errors are malpractice, nor does every unsuccessful treatment or negative outcome fall under medical malpractice.
A Fort Washington medical malpractice lawyer working throughout the State of Pennsylvania can help you understand your rights and legal options if you or a loved one has been hurt from suspected medical negligence. Friedman Schuman Layser can review your medical records, assess the circumstances of your injury, and determine if you have a valid malpractice claim. We are here to help you after this devastating breach of trust.
Common Types of Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice involves a health care professional’s negligent actions or omissions that deviate from accepted standards of care and injure a patient. In other words, a typical professional with their training and knowledge would not have done what they did in a similar situation. Doctors, nurses, dentists, technicians, hospitals, and other health care providers in Fort Washington and Pennsylvania can all be held responsible for medical malpractice.
Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is a common form of medical malpractice. This occurs when a health care professional fails to correctly identify a patient’s condition or takes too long to do so, potentially leading to delayed or inappropriate treatment. Medication errors, such as prescribing the wrong medication, giving the wrong dosage, or failing to consider potential drug interactions, can also lead to serious side effects or complications.
Surgical Errors
Mistakes made during surgery, such as operating on the wrong body part, leaving instruments inside the patient, or causing unnecessary harm during the procedure can cause considerable financial losses and trauma, opening up the possibility of a claim. Errors in the administration of anesthesia, such as giving too much or too little, or failing to monitor the patient properly, can lead to serious complications or even death.
Birth Injuries
Malpractice can occur during pregnancy, labor, and delivery as well. Birth injuries to the baby can include should dystocia, Erb’s palsy, cerebral palsy, jaundice, and brain injuries due to a lack of oxygen. These incidents can be especially devastating and could affect your child for the rest of their life.
Failure to provide treatment, health care-associated infections, and failure to obtain informed consent are other potential forms of medical malpractice that can lead to serious, life-threatening injuries. You may not know where to turn, especially if you lost someone due to this incident, but our medical malpractice attorneys in Fort Washington can review the details of your suspected medical malpractice to determine what options you have.
Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim
To prove medical malpractice, you typically need to prove a few things. First, you must demonstrate that a doctor-patient relationship existed, meaning that you sought treatment and the medical professional agreed to provide it.
You must further show that they failed to meet the accepted standard of medical care. This can include failing to diagnose a condition, misdiagnosing a condition, failing to follow proper treatment procedures, or failing to warn a patient of known risks.
You also need to prove that the negligence directly caused the harm suffered, and that it would not have occurred but for the person’s negligence. Finally, you must show that you suffered compensable damages, which can include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other physical or emotional harm.
Do I Have to File Within a Certain Timeframe?
Most medical malpractice lawsuits must be filed within two years of the date the injury was discovered or should have been discovered, but no later than seven years from the date of the alleged medical error. This deadline can cause anxiousness or alarm for people. Our Fort Washington attorney can help you navigate the legal system and follow all deadlines and procedures in your medical malpractice claim.
Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney in Fort Washington Right Away
If you received an injury due to the negligence of a physician or other health care provider, you may be struggling with severe physical complications and unsure how to secure your legal rights. A Fort Washington medical malpractice lawyer from Friedman Schuman Layser can analyze the standard of care expected from health care professionals in your case and determine if it was breached.
In our pursuit of justice, we can obtain and review your medical records to determine the next steps of your potential claim. You do not have to pay us anything unless we secure a verdict or settlement for you, so call us now and learn how we can help.