Medical Negligence
In the United States, patients have the
right to assume the care given to them by medical professionals meets a
certain minimum standard. If it does not, a case of medical negligence
may be present. Any member of the medical staff can be held liable for
instances of medical negligence. If you or a family member believes the
treatment received involved medical negligence, you should seek the
counsel of a medical negligence lawyer.
The attorneys at Maxwell, Freeman &
Bowman, P.A. represent clients in matters of alleged medical neglect
against doctors, hospitals and nurses. We gather the facts and medical
records for review by medical experts, who then determine what happened;
what can be proven; what was done versus what should have been done; and
what the impact is on our clients’ lives as a result of any neglect that
is established.
Unlike other fields of litigation,
medical negligence law requires an injured person to present testimony
from experts (physicians, usually) who can say that there has been
medical negligence, which the law describes as “a deviation from the
standard of care.” Such expert testimony is necessary to file the
case. A qualified medical negligence lawyer is necessary to
successfully prove instances of a healthcare provider’s failure to
provide the expected standard of care.
The injury or death caused by the neglect
may be either a new condition or an aggravated injury to the patient.
Although not all medical situations that end badly are the result of
medical negligence, here are some examples that could be construed as
such:
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Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose a serious medical condition such
as infection, sepsis or cancer
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Coma, nerve damage or death due to anesthesia mistakes
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Improper administration of prescription or non-prescription drugs
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Improper use of a medical device or implant
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Failure to order the proper tests
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Failure to consult with a specialist
-
Failure to properly monitor a patient and evaluate his/her clinical
signs and symptoms
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Birth injury or birth trauma due to obstetrical, nursing, hospital
or physician neglect
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Incorrect treatment of a diagnosed illness
-
Failure of hospital staff to properly interpret doctors’ notes on
patient charts, resulting in incorrect administration of medications
or treatments or failure to advise a doctor of signs or changes in a
patient’s condition
Proving that negligence is the cause of
injury is often the most difficult part of cases like these. Proof must
come from qualified experts who have similar training and experience as
the health care provider whose conduct is under review and who determine
that appropriate standards of care were breached resulting in damage to
the patient.
At Maxwell, Freeman & Bowman, P.A., we
have the experience and resources to expertly evaluate injuries and
successfully pursue claims involving medical negligence. If you or a
loved one has been injured as a result of medical negligence, an
attorney who has experience handling medical negligence cases can help
you receive the compensation you deserve for your losses and suffering.
Contact us today at (919)493-6464. |
