If you were the victim of any type of medical malpractice, and you suffered injuries and damages, you should strongly consider taking legal action. Filing a lawsuit may allow you to hold the health care provider liable and provide compensation for the medical expenses and other damages you are dealing with.
If you are considering legal action, you should know that there are many benefits to working with an experienced Savannah medical malpractice attorney, as opposed to an attorney with general experience in various personal injury cases. Some of these benefits are discussed below, to give you a better idea about what a qualified attorney can do for you throughout the legal process.
Medical Malpractice Cases Are Complicated
Medical malpractice cases are maybe the most complicated type of personal injury case. While personal injury lawyers deal with accidents and injuries on a routine basis, attorneys who do not regularly work on medical malpractice cases are probably not familiar with the various factors involved. For example:
- Different types of injuries are involved – Auto accident attorneys may deal with cases involving broken bones, orthopedic injuries and soft tissue injuries and may be well-versed in these matters. However, medical malpractice claims can involve damage to any part of the body. You want to have a medical malpractice attorney who has a broad understanding of a variety of injury types that may occur in a health care setting.
- Proving negligence is much more complicated – Medical malpractice cases are about the standard of care that was appropriate for the situation and whether a health care provider treated the patient in a way that met the standard of care.
- Different procedures are involved – Medical malpractice cases also have specific procedural requirements. The Georgia legislature was concerned with patients filing frivolous claims and unnecessarily increasing the cost of insurance. That is why it is now required that medical malpractice victims file an affidavit created by a medical expert stating that at least one act of malpractice has been committed. Experienced medical malpractice attorneys know how to find qualified medical experts for specific types of cases.
Medical Malpractice Lawyers Know What Constitutes Malpractice
It is often much more difficult to prove medical malpractice than it is to establish negligence in a personal injury case. A reputable medical malpractice attorney will have thorough knowledge of the four aspects of malpractice and how to prove each one:
A Doctor/Patient Relationship Existed
You must be able to show that you were a patient of the doctor and the doctor agreed to provide treatment. This relationship is also established, without an agreement, once you receive treatment from a medical professional.
You Received Substandard Care
You must be able to demonstrate that your health care provider acted in a negligent manner. This means the medical professional did not provide care that met accepted medical standards for the situation. In other words, your health care provider did not act the way a reasonable, skilled, and competent medical professional would have acted under similar circumstances. Sometimes substandard care is just a lack of action by a medical professional, and other times it occurs when the medical professional takes the wrong action.
The Negligent Care Resulted in Your Injury
You must be able to establish a link between the negligent care that you received and the injury you suffered. Another way of thinking about this is that you would not have been injured if not for medical malpractice. This can be one of the toughest things to prove.
You Suffered Damages
It is not enough to show that a mistake occurred. You must be able to prove that you were harmed in some way, such as by suffering an injury, incurring additional medical expenses or losing time from work.
Medical Malpractice Cases are Expensive to Pursue
Between extensive discovery, hiring expert witnesses, paying for copies of documents, and spending countless hours on the case, medical malpractice cases are often very expensive. They may cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring to trial. However, if you find an attorney with the resources to take your case on contingency, you will not have to pay anything up front. The attorney will not get paid unless you receive compensation.
Contact Roden Law Today to Get Started on Your Claim
The Savannah medical malpractice lawyers at Roden Law provide legal assistance to individuals who were harmed by preventable medical errors and the families who lost loved ones due to medical mistakes.
At Roden Law, you are not responsible for any upfront fees. We only receive payment for our services if we recover damages on your behalf. Our experienced attorneys can assist with every aspect of your claim and will fight for maximum compensation.