We put our trust and faith in the doctors, hospitals, and healthcare professionals that provide treatment for what ails us. When we have a medical issue, we seek treatment from experts. For the most part, we get better. This is how the system is supposed to work.
Tragically, things don’t always go as planned. Mistakes happen, and negligence can occur, leaving us worse off than when we first sought a medical remedy. No one expects their physician or healthcare professional to do the unthinkable and violate the trust we’ve placed in them to make us better, but medical malpractice does happen.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
There are some common misconceptions about what medical malpractice is and is not. An unsuccessful surgery or one that resulted in complications isn’t automatically considered to be malpractice. In Florida, medical malpractice is defined as when a healthcare professional was negligent and causes undue injury or death to their patient. The full definition of the Florida Malpractice Law is much more detailed.
If you or a loved one believe you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice, it’s imperative that you contact a Freidin Brown medical malpractice lawyer. Only an attorney with malpractice experience can help you to prove your case. Some of the most common situations that result in a medical malpractice case include:
- Undiagnosed or misdiagnosed conditions (cancer, heart attack, stroke)
- Surgery mishaps (operating on the wrong body part, surgical tools left inside of patient)
- Medication errors (prescribing the wrong medication or improperly dosed)
- Medical equipment failures
- Incorrect treatment of a medical condition
- Errors of omission (critical patient information not included on medical records)
What Should I Do If I Suspect Medical Negligence?
The first thing you should do if you suspect that you or a loved one has been the victim of medical negligence is to hire an experienced medical malpractice lawyer. However, before you even begin your search for legal counsel, there are several other things you need to be aware of.
Don’t Discuss Your Intentions With Your Current Healthcare Professional
Unless advised by your attorney, do not mention anything about your plans to file a medical malpractice suit against the healthcare professional you believe acted with neglect. You could jeopardize your chances of successfully winning your case.
In fact, you should keep your intentions as private as possible. Don’t make any social media posts accusing anyone of anything, no matter how strong your urge is. This could cause the party you are suing to file a defamation lawsuit against you which won’t do anything to help your case.
Find a New Doctor
If you believe that your current healthcare professional has put you at risk, it’s time to find a new one. Once you do, openly discuss why you feel you’ve been the victim of medical negligence. This can help you to obtain more proof of a medical mishap.
Get Your Medical Records
Your new doctor will request all of your medical records, giving you easy access to use them as evidence in your lawsuit.
Document Everything
You may feel as if some details of your experience are indelible, but it’s still important to write down everything relating to your medical care. Write down your symptoms, your treatment, and your healthcare professional’s comments to you. If you’ve missed work, keep a running tally of how many days and why you were unable to work. Continue to write down any new symptoms, pains, or conditions, including mental and emotional changes.
What Damages Can Be Recovered From a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?
Fortunately, medical malpractice isn’t a common event. However, they do occur. For those unfortunate patients and their loved ones, it can cause undue stress and emotional trauma that could last a lifetime. Money definitely doesn’t change the tragedy, but it can bring some closure.
Other than the obvious damages of additional medical bills and loss of current and future earnings, other things can be included. Some of the less obvious damages that a medical malpractice lawsuit can recover are:
- Loss of quality of life
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Chronic pain
Your medical malpractice attorney will ask you the appropriate questions to determine exactly what other types of damages can be recovered.
Don’t Let a Medical Malpractice Case Ruin Your Entire Life
If you suspect that you or a loved one has been the victim of a medical mishap or avoidable error, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney with proven experience in this type of personal injury case. Unfortunately, medical malpractice and medical negligence can’t always be reversed. However, you are entitled to be compensated.
