Palm Harbor Medical Malpractice Lawyers

You trust your doctors and healthcare providers when you seek advice and care of your health concerns. Unfortunately, not all medical providers prioritize your best interest and health. All medical providers must uphold their professional standards of care and provide their patients with the highest level of care they can. When a provider fails to care for a patient and causes further injury, that victim may recover compensation for their damages. Our Palm Harbor medical malpractice lawyers discuss how to start your claim below.

If You Believe You Are a Victim of Medical Negligence, Contact Perenich Law Injury Attorneys

Going up against a healthcare provider can be intimidating. They will make every effort to keep you from pursuing your malpractice claim or reducing the settlement. The Palm Harbor personal injury lawyers at Perenich Law Injury Attorneys understand the challenges of a medical malpractice case and what is necessary to protect your rights.

Having an experienced medical malpractice attorney on your side is essential to having a fighting chance. Call us today. We’ll give you our best effort.

Contact A Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Successfully Representing Clients Against Malpractice in Palm Harbor

Perenich Law Injury Attorneys have extensive experience fighting for clients in medical malpractice cases.

We have assisted many clients in reaching favorable resolutions in their cases through both settlements and court verdicts.

• $10 million malpractice settlement for a case of failure to diagnose an infant
• $7.95 million settlement in a medical malpractice case where a victim died from improper follow-up care
• $2.6 million resolution for the family of a victim who died because of negligence during a routine medical procedure

Common Medical Malpractice Claims

Medical malpractice describes any time a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional acts negligently and causes preventable harm to a patient. Each case is unique and may require professional review to determine if malpractice has occurred.

Medical care is complex and involves many stages and scenarios where a provider’s negligence can jeopardize the patient’s life and health.

• Diagnosis failures – The diagnosis of a condition or disease is critical for a patient to receive proper care. You expect your doctor or other healthcare professionals to hear your concerns and help you discover the cause of your health problems. When a doctor does not follow their professional standard of care to reach a diagnosis, this can lead to complications and life-threatening risks to a patient. Failure to diagnose, improper diagnosis, or missed diagnosis can give rise to medical malpractice cases.
• Birth injuries – The proper care of a mother and baby during pregnancy and childbirth is critical to their healthy development and recovery. What should be a positive experience can become a traumatic one for a victim of malpractice. Doctors and other medical providers’ decisions surrounding birth can affect the safety of delivery and the health of the baby and mother. If a doctor’s action or failure to act causes harm to the baby or mother, they may have committed medical malpractice.
• Improper treatment – Discovering what ails a patient is only the beginning of the duties of care for a medical provider. They must also ensure their course of treatment is in the best interest of your health and applicable to your condition. When providers fail to implement proper treatment, and your condition worsens or develops into something more serious, you may be eligible for compensation.
• Errors during procedures – Surgeries, imaging, biopsies, and many other procedures come with inherent risks. While some are due to unknown variables, the doctor must take care to prevent injuries when possible. If you suffer harm while undergoing a medical procedure due to a doctor’s failure, you may have a malpractice case. While you may not know what your doctor did wrong, a medical malpractice attorney can help determine whether negligence played a factor in your injury.
• Anesthesia errors – Undergoing anesthesia is a nerve-wracking experience for many people, and for good reason. In too many cases, failures in the dosage or administration of anesthesia led to injuries that threatened a patient’s life. These anesthesia errors are often preventable. When the anesthesiologist’s negligence caused the error, you may be eligible for compensation for your damages.
• Prescription failures – Medications are complex. Doctors must determine what prescriptions can help a patient with their condition. They must ensure the prescription is safe for the intended use, there are no contraindications, and the dosage is appropriate for the patient’s needs. Many things can go wrong with prescriptions, including prescribing the medication, filling the prescription, and administering it to the patient. Any hiccup or error along this chain of events can harm a patient and give rise to a medical malpractice cause of action.
• Secondary infection – A major risk during hospitalization and many medical procedures is the risk of infection from exposure to illness or bacteria in their environment. Facilities and medical caretakers must prevent the risks of secondary infections. When a patient acquires a secondary infection, negligence is often the cause.
• Failure to inform – Informed consent is the basis of the doctor and patient relationship. Every healthcare provider must inform a patient of their condition, treatment plan, and the inherent risks of the care they may require. Failure to disclose critical information to a patient that harms them can be evidence of malpractice.
• Failure to follow up – A healthcare provider’s job does not end when they discharge a patient. A doctor must continue to follow up with a patient, particularly if they contact the doctor with concerns or questions. Failure to follow up as needed based on a patient’s condition may be negligent if it causes the patient to suffer additional harm.

Complications, Disabilities and Other Consequences of Medical Malpractice

The complications of malpractice vary from one individual to the next. A malpractice injury can result in a permanent disability for one patient, while another suffers death. Patients injured due to malpractice could require additional invasive procedures, hospitalizations, surgeries, or life-long care.

Can You Sue Your Doctor if They Were Negligent?

Many people believe that healthcare professionals and facilities have shields or protection from their actions because of their profession. However, that is not the case. Just as there are many good doctors and medical providers, there are those who are unfit to care for patients and can do more harm than good. When you suffer an injury caused by a healthcare professional’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation for your damages.

You can file a lawsuit against a doctor or provider who negligently caused you harm. However, in most medical malpractice claims in Florida, the best option for a patient that suffers damages due to malpractice is to seek compensation under a malpractice insurance policy. The state professionalism law requires that all doctors carry malpractice insurance or prove they have the financial means to cover any potential damages to their patients. In most situations, a doctor will choose malpractice insurance to protect themselves, their assets, and their business.

To seek compensation under a malpractice insurance policy, a patient must meet prerequisites and produce evidence to substantiate their claims and injuries. It is challenging to go up against healthcare professionals and insurers without a lawyer. You have a low likelihood of reaching a successful malpractice compensation settlement without a medical malpractice attorney’s experience, knowledge, and resources.

What Damages Can You Seek if You Are a Medical Malpractice Victim?

Medical malpractice victims suffer pain and uncertainty regarding their health and future. Negligent medical care can cause patients financial, physical, and psychological harm.

The law allows a victim of medical malpractice to seek monetary compensation for the varied damages in their case, including:

• Medical expenses
• Recovery costs
• Loss of productivity and lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of quality of life
• Loss of consortium

Who Can I Hold Liable for Medical Malpractice?

When it comes to medical malpractice, much of the focus is on the patient’s doctor. While it is likely that the cause of your injuries is the actions of a healthcare professional, your doctor is not the only party that can be at fault. It is not uncommon for medical malpractice cases to reveal negligent actions by multiple parties.

Many safeguards protect patients in hospitals, healthcare facilities, and nursing homes. When one party fails to meet their duty of care, the hope is that someone else involved will discover the error quickly and fix it with little to no harm to a patient. However, shortcuts or deference between patients can often result in negligence throughout a patient’s care.

It is not only a doctor that can be liable for the injuries you sustain due to medical malpractice. Depending on where the injuries occur and the facts of your case, other medical professionals may be liable.

Parties that may be at fault in a medical malpractice case include:

• Doctors
• Nurses
• Anesthesiologists
• Imaging technicians
• Other healthcare service providers
• Hospitals
• Medical facilities
• Nursing homes
• Rehabilitation centers
• Other healthcare facilities

Do You Need a Lawyer to Prove Medical Malpractice and Seek Compensation?

As soon as you suspect you may be a victim of medical malpractice, you should contact a medical malpractice attorney. Evidence in a medical malpractice claim can be vulnerable to manipulation, getting lost, or destroyed following a malpractice claim against a medical professional. A medical malpractice lawyer can help determine what actions may rise to negligence and your likelihood of recovery for your losses.

Once you hire an attorney to represent you in a medical malpractice claim or lawsuit, they will quickly notify all parties that they now represent you. They will also formally request that parties preserve all relevant evidence and records. Attempting to resolve a malpractice claim yourself can lead to further complications and losses.

Without the experience of a medical malpractice attorney, insurance companies will undercut your efforts, and you will likely receive much less compensation than you deserve. The insurance companies will use tactics to hinder you that will not throw off a malpractice attorney, who will shrug off and continue fighting for your rights.

If you believe that medical negligence caused injuries to you or a loved one, contact Palm Harbor’s Perenich Law Injury Attorneys at (813) 694-7940 for a free case consultation. Let our legal team step up in your time of need and help you hold the responsible medical professionals accountable for your injuries.

Contact A Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Perenich Law Injury Attorneys – Palm Harbor Office

Phone: 727-500-2166

Address: 3204 Alternate US Hwy 19N, Palm Harbor, FL 34683