When you have been injured by a medical professional, it is devastating. You had placed your trust in a healthcare worker or doctor to help you manage a medical problem and you were left injured by the care. The breach of trust is more than just a mental issue. Medical injuries, in most cases, are a form of negligence.
If you have been injured by a medical practitioner, medical device, or medication, you should speak to an attorney immediately about your right to seek compensation for your losses. Medical lawsuits address the rights of a person who was injured by a person in the medical field.
There are several classifications for medical lawsuits. These suits may fall under one or more of the following categories:
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, nurse, medical care provider, or medical facility acts in a manner that is not standard for the medical care of a particular illness or injury. For example, if it is considered standard to place a broken arm in a cast so that the bone heals correctly, and instead the doctor tells you to place it in a sling and put ice on it for pain, malpractice has been committed. Of course, medical malpractice is always more serious than this example. Choices made by medical practitioners may result in life-threatening conditions. Particularly in these cases, it is important to correct the mistreatment and to then fight for the compensation you deserve.
Medical Misdiagnosis
Similar to medical malpractice, when a doctor does not use standard care to evaluate a condition, they may be at fault for misdiagnosing a case. This does not include simple things like stating you have a cold when you really have the flu. In order to qualify as a misdiagnosis case, the situation will involve a significant finding that the doctor should have been able to detect under reasonable circumstances. For instance, a 75-year-old woman presents to the doctor with pain in her shoulder that has been persistent for weeks. She states that it is in the entire shoulder area and not just the joint. The doctor looks at her age and asks if she has been doing any strenuous work and she states she has been gardening. The doctor does not go any further with the exam or interview prescribes a mild painkiller and tells her to rest. The woman suffers persistent pain for four months afterward and is finally diagnosed in the ER with lung cancer. Had the doctor gone further with the exam; the cancer could have been detected and treated. This is a serious misdiagnosis and the doctor must be held liable for it.
Defective Drug or Medical Device
If your doctor prescribes a medication to you or requires the use of a medical device, it is supposed to help you with your condition. Your care provider does this with the belief that these products are safe to use. However, sometimes patients later discover that the medication they are using has given them a serious condition or allergic reaction, for example, or the medical device they are using has failed and they are required to undergo emergency surgery. These are medical cases, but they fall under defective or dangerous product lawsuits. Talk to an attorney about how to seek compensation if you have been the victim of a dangerous medication or medical device.
Each of the medical issues described above is real and can lead to serious injury or death. If you feel that you have been or are in a situation that qualifies for a medical lawsuit, we encourage you to contact our law office in Savannah, GA today. Our attorneys have significant experience in getting victims of medical negligence the compensation they deserve.