When you require medical attention, you expect that the people working at the hospital or doctor’s office where you are receiving treatment will act with your best interests at heart and work to improve your health. Unfortunately, far too often, these medical professionals are negligent in their duties, causing harm to the people they are supposed to help.
At Winston Law, we have handled countless medical malpractice cases over the last three decades. Our team of Florida medical malpractice lawyers can help identify whether misconduct played a role in causing your damages and take legal action against the responsible parties. Get in touch today to schedule a free case review with a member of our legal team.
Different Types of Medical Malpractice
When a medical professional’s negligence causes damage to a patient, they can be held liable. However, you must recognize that just because a procedure does not result in the desired outcome does not mean that medical malpractice occurred.
Medical procedures can be complicated, and there are no guarantees. You will only have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit if the healthcare worker exercised poor judgment or made a mistake in your treatment that caused you harm.
These workers must provide you with a standard of care that is consistent with their training and experience related to others in the field. Some of the most common medical malpractice cases we handle include:
- Inaccurate patient history
- Surgical errors
- Unnecessary surgeries
- Missed lab results
- Failure to diagnose
- Incorrect medications
- Insufficient aftercare
Inaccurate Patient History
Every patient is unique, and the right course of treatment for one individual may not be suitable for another. If a diagnosis or treatment plan is made with incomplete or inaccurate information about your medical history, the damages can be severe.
Surgical Errors
Surgical errors can result in significant harm to a patient. These mistakes can be disastrous and include issues like improperly administered anesthesia, surgery performed on the wrong limb, and surgery performed on the wrong patient.
Unnecessary Surgeries
If your doctor suggests a surgical procedure that is not appropriate for your condition, they can be liable for any costs and complications arising from the operation.
Missed Lab Results
If a healthcare worker misreads your lab results, gets them mixed up with another patient’s, or neglects to inform you of the results, any resulting damages you incur can be attributed to their negligence.
Failure to Diagnose
If your doctor fails to diagnose a condition that they should have reasonably been able to uncover, they can be held responsible for any further damage caused by the delay in treatment.
Incorrect Medications
Mistakes with the medications prescribed to a patient can have a significant impact on their overall well-being. Some common problems with medications include:
- Incorrect medication for the patient’s condition
- Wrong dose
- Medications that the patient will likely have a bad reaction to based on their medical history
Insufficient Aftercare
After a medical procedure, aftercare, including follow-up procedures, can be critical. If you are not provided with the appropriate aftercare to effectively heal, you could have grounds for a medical malpractice claim.
The above list of medical malpractice cases is far from exhaustive. If you have suffered any form of harm that you believe was the result of negligence on the part of a medical professional, speaking with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer is the best way to ensure you recover the compensation you need and deserve.
Determining Liability in a Medical Malpractice Case
Determining who is to blame in a medical malpractice case can be challenging. There are often many healthcare workers involved in the treatment of a patient, and figuring out who made the mistake that caused your damages is not always clear.
Fortunately, when you hire an experienced medical malpractice attorney to help with your case, they will run a thorough investigation into the cause of your injuries and who is responsible. With experience handling these types of cases, they should be able to track down the at-fault party without too much difficulty.
Make Sure to File Your Medical Malpractice Lawsuit on Time
In Florida, the statute of limitations for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is generally two years. If you miss the filing deadline, you may be out of options for recovering compensation.
However, exceptions in your case can move the typical deadline forward or backward depending on the specific details. Hiring an experienced medical malpractice attorney is the best way to ensure you are aware of the deadline for your case. Your lawyer will complete all the required paperwork and ensure that it gets filed on time.
Get Help From an Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Hiring an experienced attorney will significantly improve your odds of recovering fair compensation for the damages you incurred. At Winston Law, we have a long history of helping medical malpractice victims get the money they need, both through out-of-court settlement deals and favorable court decisions.
Contact us today by phone or through our website to schedule your free initial case evaluation with a member of our legal team. There is no obligation to retain our services, so don’t hesitate to get started.
