Falling under the broader category of medical malpractice, medical
negligence is generally defined as a doctor, hospital, or other
medical professional's failure to exercise the expected standard of
care for his or her profession in preventing patient injury,
illness, or death. When a medical professional commits medical
negligence, s/he can be held liable for any damages that the patient
suffers. The harmed patient has the right to file a civil legal
claim against the negligent practitioner to seek recovery for their
losses and suffering.
There are many situations where medical negligence may apply. Again,
these are all situations wherein a medical professional fails to act
in such a way as to prevent patient harm. Medical negligence can
involve: birth injuries, failure to diagnose, wrong diagnosis,
medication errors, defective drugs, faulty medical devises or
related products, surgical mistakes, and nursing home abuse.
The result of medical negligence can be delayed treatment resulting
in patient harm, as in the case of diagnosis failures or medication
errors. Medical negligence that occurs with specific procedures like
child birth and surgery can result in infections, delayed healing,
illness, brain damage, disfigurement, and wrongful death. A medical
professional can be held responsible for injuries caused by
defective drugs and products when they fail to warn patients of the
risks involved or when a product does not meet safety standards.
Nursing home abuse is a type of medical negligence that can involve
physical, emotional, or psychological neglect of a patient that
results in injury, illness, or wrongful death.
According to statistics, at least 80,000 Americans die each year as
a result of medical negligence. One study indicated that 35 to 40
percent of all autopsy reports reveal a misdiagnosis or a failure to
diagnose as a likely cause of death. In addition to the wrongful
deaths caused by medical negligence, hundreds of thousands of
Americans suffer injury and illness each year as a result of medical
negligence. Despite these troubling statistics, it is estimated that
only one out of every eight victims of medical negligence will seek
compensation for their losses through a civil legal claim.
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of medical
negligence, you may wish to discover more about your legal rights
and options. It is important to keep in mind that every state has a
statute of limitations which restricts the time a person has to file
a legal claim. If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury
or a wrongful death because of medical negligence, you deserve the
best legal help possible. An attorney who has experience handling
medical negligence cases can help you receive the compensation you
deserve for your losses and suffering. A competent medical
negligence attorney will have experience successfully negotiating
large settlements with major insurance companies, will be
comfortable taking your case to trial, and will build the strongest
case possible to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Contact us by
Email or call us today at (401) 788-0600 to speak with a
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