Atlanta Medical Malpractice Attorney

Individuals in Atlanta place an enormous amount of trust in the doctors and other health care providers who treat their medical conditions. Unfortunately, medical error is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the U.S., resulting in around 225,000 deaths a year and many more injuries. If you have been injured or have lost a loved one as the result of medical negligence, an Atlanta medical malpractice attorney can explain to you the process of seeking compensation for the expenses and impacts of your injuries.

When Should I Call an Atlanta Medical Malpractice Attorney?

Medical malpractice laws are complex in every state, and they’re particularly confusing in Georgia. Many of the errors that occur in healthcare settings are unfortunate, but do not give rise to a medical malpractice lawsuit. On the other hand, many individuals do have a legitimate claim, but they’re quickly talked into agreeing to a settlement for far below the worth of their case or tricked by the at-fault provider’s insurance adjuster into making a statement or providing information that reduces the value of their claim.

If you have been injured as a result of a medical error, it is important to seek a free case evaluation from an experienced Atlanta medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible in order to protect your right to seek fair compensation for your injuries and to protect the value of your personal injury claim.

Common Types of Medical Malpractice Cases

The types of errors that can occur in a clinical setting or during the treatment of an injury or illness are many. However, most medical malpractice cases fall into a few different areas or types. Here is a look at some of the most common ones.

Birth Injuries

Birth injuries include errors involved in the treatment of the mother and infant around the time of birth. Common birth injuries resulting in medical malpractice cases include failing to provide a cesarean section when it is medically indicated, failing to diagnose a pregnancy complication that resulted in a preventable injury to the infant, injuries resulting from improper use of birthing tools such as forceps or vacuum suction, or failure to adequately monitor the newborn for complications before they are discharged from the hospital.

Failure to Diagnose

Diagnosis errors are the leading cause of medical malpractice claims, including failure to diagnose, which occurs when the health care provider fails to diagnose an illness or injury that diagnostic tests and patient history would have indicated. Failure to diagnose often leads to worsening of the condition and — in some instances — can result in the patient dying from an injury or illness that the doctor could have treated if it were diagnosed properly.

Anesthesia Errors

Anesthesia carries known risks for all patients who undergo surgery. Having a complication related to the administration of anesthesia is not medical malpractice. However, having a bad outcome because the anesthesiologist administered too much or not enough anesthesia when they had the information necessary to provide the right dosage is.

Misdiagnosis

Another common type of diagnosis error that gives rise to medical malpractice claims is misdiagnosis. Misdiagnosis occurs when the health care provider had the information necessary to make the right diagnosis but came up with the wrong one. This can lead to the patient receiving a treatment that will not work on their condition, while not receiving the treatment that they need in order to recover.

Medical Negligence

Negligence in the medical arena is defined as the failure to uphold the standard of care that health care providers are required to give to their patients. This can include failing to take an accurate patient history, performing procedures on the wrong patient, providing the wrong dosage or the wrong type of medication, failing to offer adequate discharge or post-operative instructions, failing to obtain informed consent for procedures, or other carelessness that results in patient injury.

Who Can Be Held Responsible in a Medical Malpractice Suit?

Any licensed or registered healthcare provider, or even the healthcare facility in some cases, can be held responsible in an Atlanta medical malpractice suit, depending on the details of the case. Here are a few considerations when determining medical malpractice liability:

• Most doctors are independent contractors. What this means is that, if a doctor was responsible for making the error that resulted in your injury, the hospital where the error occurred will likely not be liable.
• Licensed providers such as nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician’s assistants are hospital employees. If a licensed healthcare provider committed the error, either the individual or the facility can be found liable.
• Hospitals and other healthcare facilities can be liable if their employees were responsible for the error.
• Pharmacists, pharmacies, pharmacy staff, and dentists or staff at a dental office can also be liable for injuries they cause to patients as a result of negligence.

Top-Rated Atlanta Medical Malpractice Attorney Near You

Do you have a medical malpractice case? Let an Atlanta medical malpractice attorney evaluate the details of your case and help you understand the options that are available for you.

Reach out right away to schedule a free consultation.