Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Alexandria

Medical Malpractice Explained

It is alarming when a doctor or other healthcare providers make errors while caring for a patient. If a patient’s well-being was compromised, depending on the situation, these medical errors could fall under the category of a medical malpractice.

The following incidents may be considered medical malpractice:

• Incorrect Diagnosis of a Condition
• Emergency Room Errors
• Administering the Incorrect Prescription Drugs
• Prescribing the Incorrect Dosage
• Failing to treat a medical condition
• Improper care
• Sanitation problems that cause illness or infection

How Common is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice can occur in a doctor’s office, hospital, rehabilitation facility, emergency room or even an elderly care facility. Doctors do not always inflict the harm. Anesthesiologists, pharmacists, nurses and other hospital employees may be held responsible for malpractice.

It’s difficult to estimate the frequency of medical malpractice accurately as many cases go unreported. Some experts say that only one in eight medical mistakes that lead to harm or injury progress to a malpractice claim. Researchers have discovered that most malpractice claims are associated with errors in diagnosing the patient. Within this category of a misdiagnosis, overlooked diagnoses are more common than wrong ones. The mistakes that lead to more severe injuries are the ones that are more likely to be reported. Diagnostic mistakes cause approximately 160,000 irreversible injuries or fatalities every year.

According to the Journal of Patient Safety, up to 440,000 patients may be harmed by medical errors in hospitals every year. The Washington Post reported in 2016 that medical mistakes are the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. What about the medical errors that don’t result in death? Those may leave you or your loved ones with hefty medical bills, emotional trauma, and physical disabilities.

How Do You Know If You’re A Victim Of Medical Malpractice?

It can be difficult to tell if a healthcare professional’s error caused you harm. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you might be able to file a malpractice claim:

• Have you ever been given the wrong dosage of medication?
• Have you ever been administered an incorrect medication?
• Has a foreign object been left inside your body after surgery?
• Have you gotten a severe infection as a result of surgery?
• Has a doctor failed to diagnose you, allowing your condition to worsen?

If a medical provider’s negligence caused damage, you may be the victim of medical malpractice.

What You Should Do If You Have Been Injured By Medical Malpractice

If you suspect that you have experienced medical malpractice, don’t hesitate to take action. Our attorneys can help you determine whether you have a case. Delaying the following actions can result in lost or falsified information.

To Build Your Medical Malpractice Claim, You’ll need:

• Copies of your medical records
• A statement of everything that occurred before, during and after the incident
• Records of the ways in which the incident has affected you emotionally, physically and financially
• Receipts for expenses associated with the case, such as travel and medical costs
• Documents proving lost income or lost potential income

It never hurts to get a second opinion. Another doctor can give you an objective assessment of your injury. We may be able to recommend specialists who can examine your condition.

Call a local Alexandria Medical Malpractice Lawyer immediately. An attorney can help you collect the documents that you need to record necessary data. Seeking legal counsel will also ensure that you take the right steps without delay. A lawyer can protect your rights and make sure that insurance companies don’t exploit your devastating situation.

How to Begin Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

An attorney who is experienced in the personal injury area of medical malpractice will fully understand the associated procedures and concerns. In Louisiana, the prescriptive period, otherwise known as the statute of limitations, to file a claim is one year from the time that you discovered or should have known about the error. Although some exceptions can be made, it’s in your best interest to begin the process as soon as possible. Even if you want to file a lawsuit, you must first make an official claim. This process can take time.

Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit – First Steps

The first step is to file a claim with the Louisiana Patient’s Compensation Fund, or PCF. The PCF will ask the parties involved to choose a doctor to sit on the review panel for the case. You will want to select a medical professional who has the same qualifications as the doctor against whom you are filing the claim – that professional should specialize in the same field. A third doctor will be selected by those who have already been chosen. Next, you and the other parties will present evidence to the review panel. The professionals on the panel are responsible for determining whether the medical provider violated the standard of care. No matter what the panel decides, you may then file a lawsuit. You have 90 days from the date of the medical review panel’s decision to file a lawsuit.

How Can You Be Sure That You Will Win A Settlement?
You cannot file a medical malpractice lawsuit if you haven’t been injured or harmed by the medical error. If you have been harmed by a medical mistake, you still don’t necessarily have a malpractice case. Medical treatments are not guaranteed. All procedures have inherent risks. The standard of care requires that doctors inform you of all of the risks before you provide your consent.

If you want to win a settlement, you’ll need to demonstrate that the medical professional violated the standard of care in a negligent manner. You must show that the injury was caused because the medical professional did not act in a reasonably careful and skilled way. At least one reputable medical expert witness will be called upon to explain the standard of care that relates to your case.

Choose an Experienced Attorney

Our experienced medical malpractice attorneys in Alexandria will make sure that you do everything in your power to receive the compensation that you deserve. Don’t suffer anymore – get the compensation you need for the financial losses you may have suffered. The team at Broussard & Hart is dedicated to fighting for your rights in your medical malpractice case. Call us today!

We Also Help Victims of Medical Malpractice in these Areas of Louisiana
Baton Rouge |  Lafayette | Lake Charles | New Orleans | Shreveport