When you go to a doctor’s office or hospital, you trust that the medical professionals there can help heal whatever injury or ailment you’re experiencing. However, when you end up hurt or your condition has worsened because of a doctor’s negligence, you may not know how to proceed. It’s essential to understand that you can file a lawsuit against a negligent doctor for any expenses you’ve endured as a result of their malpractice. Keep reading to learn what steps to take with the help of a Broward County medical malpractice lawyer.
What Injuries Are Common While Receiving Treatment?
Unfortunately, there are several ways someone seeking medical care or treatment can sustain injuries due to the negligence of a doctor or other healthcare provider.
Diagnosis errors are among the most common forms of malpractice. Any time a doctor does not take the necessary steps to assess and diagnose an issue, it can count as a form of malpractice. Examples of this negligence include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Failure to run tests
- Failure to follow up on results
- Incorrectly interpreting data
- Diagnosing based on bias or stereotypes
- Failure to take a patient’s medical history into consideration
Whether it is a delayed diagnosis, misdiagnosis, or failure to diagnose a patient at all, this can cause several severe issues for a patient. Not only can this cause unnecessary medical bills when a patient doesn’t receive treatment for the right issue, but it can also cause their illness or injury to worsen. As a result, they will likely suffer more pain and require more intensive care.
However, some issues can also happen while a patient is undergoing surgery. Though surgeons are some of the most revered doctors, they make mistakes and errors like others. However, you shouldn’t have to suffer for their mistakes. Common surgical errors include wrong site operation, issues caused when a sterile field is broken, the surgeon damages another organ, or foreign objects are left in the patient.
How Do I File a Lawsuit Against a Doctor?
To file a lawsuit against a negligent doctor, you must prove four elements. These are often called the “Four D’s” and represent duty, dereliction, direct cause, and damages.
It’s important to understand that filing a lawsuit against a doctor requires a lot of evidence, so you’ll need to ensure you keep all medical records, bills, and other photos or documents that can help prove your case. Make copies of these documents, as you will likely need to turn them over to the court.
Finally, you’ll want to contact an experienced attorney from the Finizio Law Group as soon as possible. Unfortunately, filing a lawsuit can be a complex process. As such, it’s in your best interest to let someone well-versed in the law handle the legal matters in this case. Our firm will work to help you receive the justice you deserve while you focus on healing from the injustices you’ve endured. Contact us today to learn more.
