Humans are fallible, and mistakes happen. In many professions, errors may be inconvenient or even expensive, but they do not have any lasting negative consequences. However, medical malpractice is different. When a healthcare professional makes an error, the consequences can be life-altering or fatal.
Medical malpractice can result from negligent, reckless, or intentional behavior. All three can give rise to a personal injury lawsuit. However, not every medical injury is the result of malpractice. Some procedures and treatments have inherent dangers, which can occur even if the healthcare professionals adhere to all of the current medical standards.
Get in touch with a King of Prussia medical malpractice lawyer to determine whether you have a claim for your injuries. Our hardworking personal injury attorneys could help build a case for compensation against the at-fault parties.
Many people think of doctors and nurses when they think of medical malpractice. However, any medical professional can commit malpractice, including, but not limited to:
To determine if a medical professional has committed malpractice, the factfinder will compare their behavior to the established standard of care. It is malpractice if the medical professional deviates from the established standard of care for people with their training and experience.
It can also be malpractice if a healthcare professional claims to have training or experience that they do not have. For example, a family doctor falsely representing themselves as a surgeon may be committing malpractice. A King of Prussia attorney who handles medical malpractice cases could examine their client’s case and determine the at-fault party.
The consequences of medical malpractice depend on the type. In worst-case scenarios, these can result in lifelong disabilities or wrongful death. Some common forms of medical malpractice include the following:
Some cases can be corrected by proper diagnosis and intervention from another healthcare professional. However, people who recover may experience unnecessary delay, pain and suffering, and expenses that they would not have incurred if the malpractice had not occurred.
To prove a medical malpractice claim, a plaintiff must establish the relevant standard of care for a particular case and condition and whether the healthcare professionals behaved according to the standard.
This can be difficult because healthcare professionals often close ranks and do not discuss medical errors. It may take expert advice from others in the field to demonstrate that the individual deviated from the standard.
In addition, there must also be an existing injury that caused damages to the plaintiff. The more significant someone’s damages, the easier it is to establish malpractice. A medical malpractice lawyer in King of Prussia could examine whether a healthcare professional fell short of the standard they are held to and how this led to a client’s injuries.
You should be able to rely on your healthcare professionals to do everything in their power to meet the standard of care. When they do not, and their negligence leads to illnesses or injury, they should be held responsible for your harm.
A King of Prussia medical malpractice lawyer could determine if you have a potential claim and help gather evidence to support your case. Schedule a consultation with the Dan Doyle Law Group today to learn more.
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