Everyone Makes Mistakes. Even Doctors.
Medical malpractice claims are amongst the most difficult in personal injury practice. Medical malpractice is a nuanced case area that should only be handled by qualified professionals. Medical malpractice claims often hinge on finding the doctor violated the standard of care of a medical professional. This means the doctor must have caused a patient harm by doing something another respected doctor would not have done in a similar circumstance. Additionally, some courts have held a patient should be warned of all material risks associated with the course of treatment in order for the patient to make informed consent. Medical cases are complex and often take longer than traditional injury cases to resolve. An attorney must have knowledge of the law as well as the standards of medicine to properly identify a viable medical malpractice case and properly assess the potential weaknesses of the case to advise on the best course of action. It is important you find a qualified and competent attorney who is familiar with the medical malpractice area to ensure the case is handled properly and options for monetary recovery are maximized. Members of Goodnow|McKay are experienced with these claims and are here to help. We are committed to helping our clients recover fair compensation. We are often able to negotiate reasonable settlements with the responsible insurance companies, but we are willing to fight for our clients through trial if necessary.
Lawyers You Can Trust.
Medical Malpractice Misconception
Unfortunately, there is a common sentiment in the country that medical malpractice claims are frivolous and made up. Often times, the public believes a patient is seeking a quick pay day. This could not be further from the truth. No one is perfect—even medical professionals. Often, when medical professionals make an error, it results in some of the most severe damage because the victim is already sick or vulnerable. Medical malpractice cases are not only complicated from a legal perspective, but they are also complicated from the public opinion perspective. Tort reform, the general term for changing laws related to personal injury and insurance, has heavily targeted medical malpractice claims and there is a vast amount of misinformation about medical malpractice claims in general. These injuries are real, they are severe, and the suffering of injury victims is immense.
National Medical Malpractice Statistics
Johns Hopkins released statistics indicating widespread medical negligence. The study also indicated that the CDC’s method of collecting data for national health statistics is flawed. The study revealed the following:
- 10% of all deaths in the United States are the result of medical error.
- Medical error is the third highest cause of the death in the country.
- There are nearly 250,000 deaths per year as a result of medical error.
