Basics of Medical Malpractice

Basics of Medical Malpractice

If you believe you were a victim of negligence from a medical care professional, you may be wondering about the basics of medical malpractice.

Basics of Medical Malpractice | Breach of Duty

There are many – all too common – situations in which a healthcare provider could be liable for your injury, illness, or other suffering. Your medical professionals must provide you with care that meets the standard within your community under the same or similar circumstances of your medical condition. Any failure to provide this care is a breach of duty. Breaches of duty include:

  • Failure to diagnose
  • Misdiagnosis
  • Failure to obtain an accurate medical history
  • Failure to order appropriate tests
  • Failure to assess the patient’s condition
  • Improper training or supervision
  • Improper administering of medicine
  • Failure to maintain cleanliness of medical premises
  • Surgical mistakes or errors
  • Anesthesia errors
  • Birth injuries
    • Brain damage or permanent injuries to newborns
    • Injury or death of mother
  • Failure to intervene in a timely fashion
  • Incorrect application of a procedure

Download Our Free Florida Medical Malpractice Guide Here

Basics of Medical Malpractice | Damages

When you submit yourself to medical care, so much is “out of your hands.” With the right legal counsel, however, you may be able to recover damages including:

  • Monetary damages for future medical care and treatment
  • Lost wages
  • Lost future earnings
  • Pain and suffering
  • Funeral costs

Fighting for your rights can be daunting and complex. Far more stressful than a lawsuit, however, could be struggling to cover new medical expenses resulting from a surgery gone wrong, stretching thin to pay bills when you can’t work, or providing for your family after a loved one’s avoidable death. You might need to file a medical malpractice suit. Luckily, holding medical providers accountable for mistakes and negligence can raise the bar on healthcare reliability and quality of treatment.

It’s important to know, though, that a bad result doesn’t mean you have a case, and doesn’t mean the doctor didn’t perform to the best of his or her ability and provide you with reasonable care. Only a Florida medical malpractice attorney and an independent expert can tell you if your case meets the standards and precedents for a malpractice suit.

Basics of Medical Malpractice | Starting a Case

Even if a physician admits it was his or her “fault,” that doesn’t mean it was a case of malpractice. If something goes wrong and your physician admits fault, immediately request a copy of your records.

In Florida, the statute of limitations on medical malpractice claims is two years from the point at which you knew or should have known that the incident occurred. Please call our Tampa medical malpractice attorneys today for a free consultation.