Skilled NY Medical Malpractice Lawyer Ensures Negligence Is Penalized
Negligence is the root of many accidents. This is especially true in the medical field, where the negligence, or lack of reasonable care by a doctor and other professionals could easily result in injury or death. If you or a loved one has suffered because of a medical professional’s negligence, an experienced NY medical malpractice lawyer like one from The Law Offices of Joseph Lichtenstein can help you get restitution. Some acts of negligence that commonly lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit are discussed below.
Misdiagnosis
When you enter into the care of a physician, the first step is often to get a diagnosis. The correct diagnosis of your symptoms is necessary in coming up with an appropriate treatment plan. However, there are times when a condition is incorrectly diagnosed, usually because of confusing symptoms or a doctor’s mistake. No matter the reason, a misdiagnosis can result in the wrong treatment, which can make things worse for you. At the very least, an incorrect diagnosis will affect your ability to recover properly. For example, if you go to a doctor because of pain in your abdomen and they fail to detect your appendicitis, you will have grounds to file a malpractice suit.
Surgical Error
Another common act of medical negligence is an error during surgery. At the least, surgical error can mean additional surgeries to mitigate the mistake, or a possible infection and damage to your internal organs. These mistakes come in different forms, ranging from unintentional lacerations to leaving a foreign object inside the body.
Negligent Nursing
Not all malpractice suits are against doctors. Some involve nurses and nursing homes, too, and the consequences can be equally severe. One example is a 2013 lawsuit filed against a nursing home, where a resident in their care was found to have fallen 17 times. The injuries caused by these falls ultimately resulted in the resident’s death. Her son filed a suit against the nursing home and was awarded $1.2 billion dollars in punitive damages.
Medical malpractice claims are premised on the lack of reasonable care on the part of medical professionals while treating or caring for a patient. With the help of knowledgeable Long Island medical practice lawyers, you have to prove that you or a loved one suffered harm from a doctor, which would not have happened under the care of a competent doctor who would have acted differently. Additionally, the injury must be the direct result of the negligence. These can be difficult to prove, which is why you should seek the help of legal professionals.
(Source: Man Wins $1.2 Billion in Nursing Home Lawsuit, Lawyersandsettlements.com)