Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice claims and lawsuits can arise when people are injured by careless or intentional acts of a doctor, nurse, psychiatrist, dentist, chiropractor, podiatrist, hospital, or other healthcare provider. When these actions cause an injury to another person (but the actions do not rise to the level of a crime), they are said to be a “tort,” or civil wrong, which can provide the basis for a lawsuit. When someone is determined to be legally responsible for injuring someone else, they are liable for the injury, and may be made to pay the injured person compensatory damages. Compensatory damages attempt to put an injured person back in the position he or she was in before being injured. In some cases, punitive damages are also awarded in these lawsuits. Punitive damages are intended to punish wrongdoers and deter them from harming others.
Medical malpractice lawyers handle a variety of medical malpractice claims, including those resulting from:
- Missed diagnoses
- Delayed diagnosis
- Lack of informed consent
- Anesthesia errors
- Surgical injuries
- Obstetric/labor and delivery surgical injuries
- Orthopedic surgical injuries
- Spinal cord stimulator injuries
- Improperly prescribed, dispensed or filled medication
- Improperly prescribed, dispensed or filled dosages of medication
- Unreasonable conduct of a physician or health care provider
- Patient neglect and nursing home abuse