Hillsville Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Examples Of Medical Malpractice
A doctor or other medical professional must follow the appropriate standard of care, depending on the circumstances. Doctors do not have to be perfect. However, they must show a level of skill and competency that other doctors would show had they treated you. Medical malpractice can take many forms—and the results can be deadly:
- Misdiagnosis. A doctor might listen to your symptoms but then diagnose you with a condition you don’t have. As a result, you receive inappropriate and possibly harmful treatment.
- Missed diagnosis. A doctor might claim nothing is wrong with you when, in fact, you have a serious illness or disease.
- Medication errors. A doctor could prescribe the wrong medication or the right medication but at the wrong dosage. A doctor might also prescribe something that interacts negatively with allergies or with another medication you are taking.
- Surgical errors. A careless doctor could puncture an organ while operating or accidentally cut a vein or artery.
- Surgical implements left behind. Clamps or sponges could be left inside a patient.
- Birth injuries. Both mothers and children can be injured during labor and delivery. A doctor may fail to diagnose a mother’s internal bleeding or could hurt a baby by not ordering a cesarean section soon enough.
- Anesthesia errors. A patient could be given too much or too little anesthesia, causing problems.
These are only some of the more common medical errors that we have seen. If you believe you were injured, then contact an attorney as soon as possible to review your case.
Why You Need An Attorney
To bring a successful claim for medical malpractice in Virginia, you typically need to show:
- The medical professional owed you a duty of care
- The professional breached that duty, meaning he or she did not follow the correct standard of care
- You suffered injuries
- The professional’s breach caused those injuries
In many malpractice cases, the second and fourth elements are in dispute. Most people do not know what the correct standard of care should have been, so an expert witness is essential. This witness is usually a current or former medical professional in the same field who can speak authoritatively about what treatment you should have received. Causation is sometimes also in dispute. For example, a loved one might have died during surgery. But you need to connect the medical error to death since some people will die even when a doctor makes no errors. An expert witness can establish causation, also. Finding a credible expert witness is difficult, but our firm has worked with many in our medical malpractice cases. We know which medical experts have the credentials necessary to convince judges and juries that our clients have a valid legal case.
Medical Malpractice Laws
This is a complicated area of law in Virginia, with many loopholes that can defeat claims. Injured victims and their families need to follow certain rules, such as:
- Statute of limitations. This is the maximum amount of time a victim has to file a lawsuit against a doctor or other professional. An injured victim has 2 years from the date of injury to sue. If someone died due to malpractice, then surviving family members have 2 years from the date of death. If a child was injured, different rules apply.
- Medical review panel. Either party can request a medical panel review the evidence and offer an opinion as to whether the case has merit. The panel’s opinion isn’t binding, but it can negatively impact a person’s case.
Navigating these and other requirements requires someone who is skilled in this area of law.
Contact A Hillsville Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today
Medical malpractice causes too much pain and suffering. If you believe a careless doctor or other professional has injured you, meet with a seasoned attorney to review your case. The Jackson Law Group, LLC, is a leader in this area and has helped many people injured when professionals do not follow the correct standard of care in Carroll County. Contact us now for a free consultation. CONTACT OUR FIRM