Ask a Medical Malpractice Lawyer: How Long Does a Malpractice Suit Take?
When you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice, you want to get the justice and compensation you deserve as quickly as possible. However, as with any legal procedure, the cases that medical malpractice lawyers handle are complicated and take time to resolve. Read on for information on the timeframe you can expect a medical malpractice lawsuit to be resolved in, as well as a look at some situations that may be grounds for a medical malpractice case.
Ask a Medical Malpractice Lawyer: How Long Does a Malpractice Suit Take?
Medical malpractice suits can take quite a considerable amount of time to resolve, with cases taking between two and three years on average to reach a resolution. Of course, every case is unique, and there are many factors that play into the timeframe of a case. Your lawsuit might take longer to reach a resolution, or it may conclude sooner than the average timeframe.
Several factors can influence the amount of time that a malpractice suit takes to resolve. Cases that are resolved at trial rather than in a settlement, for example, tend to take longer, lasting for as long as four years. Particularly high-value cases also draw extra scrutiny that causes them to last longer, as well. Cases, where compensation exceeds $2 million, can take between five and fifteen years before reaching a conclusion.
Examples of Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is a wide-ranging category that encompasses many different forms of negligence or harmful behavior on the part of a medical professional. Here are some examples of situations where there may be grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, remember that this list is not exhaustive and there may be other examples of malpractice.
Failure to Diagnose
Medical malpractice law doesn’t apply only to medical action. Malpractice may also occur when a medical professional fails to act. Failing to detect serious conditions, such as cancer, in a timely fashion can have drastic ramifications for the patient’s prognosis. If proper steps weren’t taken to identify the condition, a malpractice lawsuit may be necessary to get the justice you deserve.
Lack of Proper Consultations
No medical professional has knowledge of every area that makes up the body of medicine. That’s why consultations between professionals are so important to provide the quality care that a patient needs. If you suffered as a result of a medical professional failing to give you proper treatment due to a lack of proper consultations, this could be grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Improper Use of a Medical Device
Technology has allowed for the creation of medical devices that can work wonders in treating a wide variety of different conditions. However, these devices must be used responsibly to avoid injury to the patient. If you’ve suffered from complications that resulted from the misuse of a medical device, contact medical malpractice attorneys in Maryland to start the process towards getting the justice you deserve.
Birth Injuries or Birth Trauma
Childbirth is one of the most exciting times in a person’s life, but it is also a serious medical event. If the proper care is not taken to prevent harm to the mother or the child, injuries could occur, giving grounds for a malpractice lawsuit. Birth trauma, defined as distress experienced by a mother during or after childbirth, is another example of medical malpractice that can take place during the childbirth process.
Anesthesiology Errors
Anesthesia is used to sedate patients so that procedures can be carried out without causing pain or other adverse reactions. However, the drugs used in anesthesiology must be applied carefully by a well-trained professional or there could be negative consequences. If anesthesia applied to you or a loved one resulted in nerve damage, coma, or even death, you likely have grounds for a medical malpractice case.
Injuries Resulting from Surgery
Surgeries are delicate procedures that require the utmost care on the part of the surgeon. If negligence occurs, it may result in serious internal or external injuries to the patient. The pain from these injuries can be long-lasting or, in some cases, even untreatable. The good news is that justice is available through medical malpractice lawsuits to those who suffered from surgical injuries.
Misuse of Medication
Medication used to treat illnesses and conditions in a patient must be used with care to avoid harmful side effects. If the wrong medication is used to treat an illness you suffer from, that may be an example of medical malpractice. Causing harm by using an improper dosage of a medication could also constitute malpractice.
All of these situations and many more could be grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Because these cases can take a considerable amount of time to resolve, it’s important that you reach out to an experienced lawyer as soon as possible so that you can get the process started and get compensated for the injury you suffered.
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