While there are various types of medical malpractice claims, generally speaking, a claimant must usually show the following:
- The health care provider owed a duty to the patient;
- The health care provider breached that duty;
- The patient suffered an injury; and
- The patient’s injury was a proximate cause of the health care provider’s breach.
A physician owes a duty to a patient once a “doctor-patient” relationship has been formed. Such a relationship is usually formed when the physician agrees to care for the patient. Nonetheless, even if it is established that a duty existed and the health care provider breached that duty (eg. failed to meet the standard of care), a claimant may not recover unless the claimant suffered injuries that were a direct result of the breach. If the breach resulted in no harm to the patient, a claimant generally has no right to recovery.
The first step in pursuing a medical malpractice case is suspecting that one may have been the victim of medical malpractice. While not every bad result or complication is due to medical malpractice, one who develops a “gut feeling” that something is wrong should seriously consider contacting a qualified attorney to review the matter. If you contact Caress Worland Law Group, we will initially discuss your situation with you. Following that, we obtain the relevant medical records and then carefully review them. If we believe there may be a case of malpractice, we will then send the records to medical experts in the specialty involved. If it is then determined that a valid case exists, the next step is usually to give written notice of the claim to the individuals or entities that are believed to have committed the medical malpractice.
While some cases do require a formal trial proceeding, the vast majority of our cases have historically settled before they went to court.
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Nunc feugiat mi a tellus consequat imperdiet. Vestibulum sapien. Proin quam. Etiam ultrices. Suspendisse in justo eu magna luctus suscipit. Sed lectus. Integer euismod lacus luctus magna.
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- Etiam porta sem malesuada magna mollis euismod.
- Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur.
- Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam.
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The best advice we can give to you is to listen to your body and to your instincts. If your doctor tells you that you’re fine, but you don’t feel fine, make another appointment. As you are listening to your body, educate yourself on what’s happening. Use the library and the Internet to find out about your symptoms and what tests are usually run for them. Have your doctor write everything down for you. If your doctor denies you a particular test or a referral to a specialist, have the doctor explain in writing the reason for the denial.
- Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam.
- Etiam porta sem malesuada magna mollis euismod.
- Aenean lacinia bibendum nulla sed consectetur.
- Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam.
Nunc feugiat mi a tellus consequat imperdiet. Vestibulum sapien. Proin quam. Etiam ultrices. Suspendisse in justo eu magna luctus suscipit. Sed lectus. Integer euismod lacus luctus magna.