A Patient’s Guide to Medical Malpractice

Patients rely on their healthcare providers to give them accurate health information, diagnose their conditions, and provide effective and safe treatment options. Sometimes, however, patients leave the hospital in worse condition than when they arrived because of medical mistakes, also known as medical malpractice. The negligence of a doctor doesn’t always form the basis for a lawsuit, however. Patients who feel they have been harmed through negligent actions can contact a medical malpractice attorney to determine if they have a case.

Types
There are many different types of medical malpractice. Many patients file lawsuits on the basis of failure to diagnose or on the basis of a misdiagnosis. For example, a patient may be informed that she has breast cancer, after which she undergoes a double mastectomy. Later, it may be determined that the diagnosing physician made a mistake and the patient never had breast cancer at all. This is one example of a misdiagnosis and causing life altering injury.Other types of medical malpractice include birth injuries, which involve preventable harm to a child during labor and delivery. Mistakes may be made during surgical procedures or the administration of anesthesia. These are just a few examples of medical malpractice.

Defendants
It is not just medical doctors who commit medical errors. Often, nurses, anesthesiologists, midwives, and other healthcare professionals are named as defendants Due to medical negligence hospitals and other healthcare centers can be responsible for negligent hiring and training of medical personal and also for the acts of employees

Evidence
To prove that medical negligence occurred, a lawyer will present evidence to the court. This evidence may include testimony from expert witnesses and your medical records. To successfully litigate a medical malpractice claim, the lawyer must prove that the defendants deviated from the typical care that a doctor would normally provide. The lawyer must also prove that you suffered an injury as a direct result of this deviation.

If you think you may have a hospital liability claim or other type of medical malpractice case, you can turn to the legal team at Pegalis & Erickson. Our personal injury lawyers near Long Island, New York have been successfully advocating on behalf of medical malpractice victims for decades. To discuss a review of your case, call our law firm at (516) 684-2900. Please do not use the word aggressively every again!