Are you looking for Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Georgia?
At the request of insurance companies, the Georgia legislature has made medical malpractice cases extremely difficult to win. Medical malpractice cases require expert testimony from a medical professional who can attest that the actions of the doctor, nurse, or hospital was a violation of the “standard of care.” The standard of care is just a fancy way of setting the minimum requirements for a reasonable doctors actions if he or she were faced with the same situation and circumstances as your doctor.
Medical Malpractice in a Hospital Setting
Medical malpractice in a hospital setting is common, but recovering damages against the hospital is difficult, especially when the malpractice occurs in the emergency room. Georgia has adopted the “gross negligence” standard for emergency rooms because of the stress, quick decision-making, and life-threatening situations faced by emergency room doctors, nurses, and medical staff. Gross negligence means that the doctor exercised a lack of all care for the safety of the patient, and this standard is much more protective of the emergency room medical staff. If the malpractice occurs elsewhere in the hospital (outside of the emergency room), then the standard reverts back to default reasonableness standard of care.
Medical Malpractice in a Doctor’s Office
Some medical malpractice occurs when a doctor performs a procedure in the office or when the doctor misdiagnoses a medical condition. In those cases, a patient must prove that a reasonable doctor under the same or similar circumstances would not have made the medical error and/or would have correctly made the diagnosis. Misdiagnoses cases are most difficult because many doctors can point to some legitimate reason as to why they believed that diagnosis was correct. Only an experienced medical malpractice lawyer can provide you with an opinion regarding whether or not your situation is a violation of the standard of care and the chance that you have a successful case. Get a Free Case Evaluation now!
What if a Surgeon Leaves a Foreign Object in my Body?
Sadly, one of the most common medical malpractice cases that we see is when a surgeon leaves a sponge, cloth, a surgical instrument, or some other foreign object used in surgery in the patient’s body. This almost should never happen, and if a foreign object is found inside you after surgery, you probably have a medical malpractice case. Surgeons are required to have counting procedures in place, meaning that after the surgery is completed and before the wound is stitched back together, the medical staff is required to count all their instruments to ensure that no item is missing or left inside the patient. When a foreign object is found, it almost always is the result of negligence, and the patient should speak to an experienced medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible.
What if a Surgeon Operates on the Wrong Side of the Body?
Another common problem we see is when a surgeon is scheduled to perform a procedure on one side of the body, but accidentally ends up operating on the other side of the body. For example, if you are scheduled to have a right knee surgery but the surgeon operates on the left knee, then this is almost always a violation of the standard of care and grounds for medical malpractice. Often, this level of negligence causes the patient to undergo another, unnecessary surgery, and the patient is entitled to compensation for the medical malpractice. Only an experienced medical malpractice lawyer can review your medical records to confirm why the medical error occurred.
What Should I Do If I Believe that I am a Victim of Medical Malpractice?
- Get a Copy of Your Medical Records. Do not tell the office or hospital that you are considering a medical malpractice claim but obtain a copy of your complete medical records. Sometimes, bad hospitals or doctors will change records once they learn that a potential malpractice claim could be coming.
- Consider a Second Opinion. Consider scheduling an appointment with a different doctor or specialist to get their opinion on what treatment you will require when moving forward to correct the issue. This second opinion can be helpful in proving that the malpractice occurred and determining what medical bills need to be collected from the at-fault doctor.
- Speak with an Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyer. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer will give you an honest opinion on your chances of bringing a successful case. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer will have medical doctors and specialists that he or she can call to ask questions and get a medical opinion on your case.
The Coker Accident Lawyers – Our Promise to You.
At the Coker Accident Lawyers, we know that the pain and trauma of being the victim of medical malpractice can be difficult. Our compassionate and professional approach to medical malpractice cases gives our clients the peace of mind they need to know that their case is being handled by highly skilled medical malpractice attorneys who understand complex medical cases. If we can help you with your case, please do not hesitate to give us a call.
Recent Medical Malpractice Case Results
- $800,000.00 Medical Malpractice Settlement
- $200,000.00 Medical Malpractice Settlement
- $57,500.00 Medical Malpractice Settlement
