For many, being sick is an exhausting but unavoidable part of life. In certain situations, you’ll need to seek out professional medical care. Unfortunately, certain individuals seeking care will unknowingly become the victims of medical malpractice. One study found that nearly 98,000 people throughout the United States die each year due to medical errors that could have been prevented. In this post, you’ll learn what to do should you become a victim of medical malpractice.
Understanding Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is a term that is often talked about. However, many people are unsure of exactly what qualifies as malpractice. In general, there are three types of medical malpractice that can occur.
One type of medical malpractice is known as a standard of care violation. Every hospital or similar types of care facility must abide by a set of rules. When these rules aren’t followed, standard of care violations often occur. That being said, failing to follow standard of care procedures won’t always result in a medical malpractice claim. This usually happens when failing to follow guidelines has led to an error.
Unfortunately, these errors can be quite catastrophic. Many instances of medical malpractice cause patient injuries. These errors can happen while a patient is being operated on. One study found that surgery errors accounted for 34% of all inpatient malpractice claims. Another type of malpractice occurs when a patient has been incorrectly diagnosed. In fact, statistics show that diagnostic errors were the main reason behind 46% of all medical malpractice lawsuits.
Why Many Malpractice Victims Contact Lawyers
After being the victim of medical malpractice, it’s understandable to want legal representation. With that in mind, many people contact medical malpractice lawyers after receiving poor care.
A medical malpractice lawyer can assist you in preparing your case. For those unfamiliar with these situations, the medical malpractice legal process might seem quite confusing. Considering that, a medical malpractice lawyer provides clients with an understanding of what is taking place. In turn, you never have to worry about the progress of your claim.
Another reason to contact a medical malpractice lawyer involves the possibility of a settlement. In cases, a settlement is a form of compensation that one party provides to the other. That being said, a care facility obviously won’t want to part with funding without a fight. Considering that, it’s going to be much harder to receive a medical malpractice settlement without a lawyer on your side.
Many people also contact medical malpractice lawyers to avoid representing themselves. If your malpractice case is taken to a courtroom, you’ll need professional representation. You’ll likely find that any care facility has access to one or a group of lawyers. Therefore, you’ll find it wise to ensure you have a professional legal representative on your side.
To summarize, it’s important to know what to do after being the victim of medical malpractice. This extremely serious condition happens in care facilities across the country. Statistics gathered from 2010 found that failing to either know or apply the law was the leading cause of legal malpractice claims filed throughout the United States. If you or someone you know is a victim of this situation, contact a medical malpractice lawyer.
