If you have questions about personal injuries suffered as a result of medical malpractice, a hospital mistake lawyer Washington DC clients believe in may be able to help. Cohen & Cohen are professional medical malpractice litigation lawyers, dedicated to helping those who have suffered personal injury at the hands of a negligent care provider. We are here to provide you with a hospital mistake lawyer Washington DC residents turn to for help.
Five Common Mistakes That Lead to a Personal Injury
Malpractice is generally defined as an act or omission by a provider during treatment of a patient that deviates from accepted norms of practice causing personal injury or wrongful death. However, the specific causes of malpractice, can vary greatly. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the United States. As almost any top hospital mistake lawyer Washington DC has to offer may tell you, there are no guarantees that medical procedures will go as planned. Though there are safeguards that can be used to prevent the following medical mistakes, they are not always followed and this can result in personal injuries to the patient:
1. Wrong surgical procedure: Doctors and medical staff are usually quite busy and can work long hours; but there is no excuse for performing the wrong surgery. After enduring the wrong procedure, the patient will likely have to undergo yet another surgery which should have been completed the first time.
2. Wrong patient: It’s not unheard of for surgical teams to mistake one patient for another and operate on the wrong part of the body. To make matters worse, this kind of mistake can extend recovery time, require more postoperative medications, and, because any surgery can present complications, an unnecessary procedure may essentially double a patient’s risk factor.
3. Infection: Improperly sterilized surgical instruments can lead to deadly infections. If the surgical team does not sufficiently scrub up pre-surgery, they can also introduce infections to a patient. When patients have compromised immune systems, they are at higher risk for not only infection, but also sepsis. A hospital mistake lawyer Washington DC patients turn to for help may be able to determine if improper sterilization caused the personal injury of a medical malpractice victim.
4. Internal organ damage. When a surgical procedure is being performed on an organ or area of the body, another organ may be damaged in the process. Organs and organ tissue are especially susceptible to damage and can be severely harmed with a simple nic or puncture from a surgical instrument or laser procedure.
5. Surgical instruments left inside the body. Surgical instruments, clamps, gauze, sponges, and other items may be used during surgery. While it may sound like the situation out of a cartoon, if anything is left inside the body before the incision is sutured closed, the foreign objects will likely be rejected by the body and cause a serious infection. Death can result in severe cases; particularly if the mistake is not resolved in a timely manner.
How can you prove medical malpractice?
To qualify as medical malpractice, it has to be proven that the medical provider was negligent in their actions which resulted in a personal injury to the patient. An unsuccessful surgery does not necessarily qualify as malpractice. It may be important to discuss your case with the qualified personal injury lawyers Washington DC trusts to determine if litigation is recommended.
A Washington DC hospital mistake lawyer may be able to tell you if filing a “certificate of merit” is required on your part. A certificate of merit is intended to determine if a lawsuit has merit or is frivolous. To get a certificate of merit, you must have a medical expert review your medical records and conclude whether or not they feel that your healthcare provider was negligent in their actions and were the cause of your injury.
Damages that You Can Claim from Personal Injuries as a Result of Medical Malpractice
1. Compensation for medical bills resulting from medical mistakes. This can include surgery costs, physical rehabilitation, prosthetics, hospital care, home health care, nursing home care, medications, emergency transportation, and more.
2. Future medical bills as a result of the malpractice. This can be difficult to determine in advance of the actual need for more surgery or overall medical care, but in some cases, this is included in compensation settlements.
3. Lost wages and future earnings capability. In addition to time needed off from work as a result of the medical mistake, any future earnings that will be lost may also be taken into account.
4. Pain and suffering. This is another type of damage that can be challenging to calculate. However, unlike some medical bills, pain and suffering can continue indefinitely, and should not be taken lightly.
5. Wrongful death. When a patient dies as a result of medical malpractice, a designated family member of legal standing may be able to bring a wrongful death action against the parties responsible for the death through negligence or an intentional bad act.
Damages Limitations
A hospital mistake lawyer Washington DC personal injury victims turn to may be able to determine if there is a dollar limit for the amount of compensation allowed for pain and suffering in a malpractice case. This limit, or cap, may not be affected by the extent of an individual’s injuries.
Statute of Limitations
A statute of limitations is intended to limit the timeframe in which a personal injury victim can file a malpractice suit. It is best to consult with a hospital mistake lawyer Washington DC trusts to discover if a statute of limitations will affect your claim.
Contact Us Today
If you or a loved one has been injured at the hands of a negligent care provider, there is no need to endure the stress and anxiety of what to do next alone. Contact Cohen & Cohen today to discuss your personal injury case with a hospital mistake lawyer Washington DC victims hire to get the justice they deserve.
