 Medical malpractice is an action or a failure to act by a physician, nurse, specialist or other medical professional that negatively affects your health. Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether your doctor has committed medical malpractice. Information provided by a Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC medical malpractice attorney is intended to assist you in learning more about medical malpractice so you can determine whether you should contact an attorney to assist you with your claim.
Types of Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is a broad claim that encompasses a variety of medical fields. The following claims are incorporated under the broad umbrella of medical malpractice claims:
- Birth injuries such as those resulting from birth asphyxia or forceps injuries that may cause more serious conditions like cerebral palsy and Erb’s palsy
- Misdiagnosis
- Failure to conduct the appropriate medical tests
- Wrongful death
- Spinal cord injuries resulting from a physician’s negligence
- Failure to diagnose cancer, impending heart attacks, appendicitis, or other common conditions
- Traumatic brain injuries resulting from a physician’s negligence
- Failure to treat
- Medication and pharmaceutical errors
- Nursing home neglect and abuse
Elements of a Medical Malpractice Case
To recover compensation for a medical malpractice claim, you must establish that:
- A duty was owed to you
- The duty was breached by the physician
- That breach resulted in an injury to you
- You suffered emotional or financial losses as a result of that injury
Consequences of a Failure to Treat or Diagnose a Serious Medical Condition
Failure by a doctor to diagnose or treat a serious medical condition is also considered medical malpractice. If a disease is treatable in early stages, progression of the disease can mean increased medical bills, extended pain and suffering, lost time from work and even death, if the disease is at a stage too advanced to treat.
What to Do If You Have Been a Victim of Medical Malpractice
If you feel that you have been subject to medical
malpractice, it is important that you contact a Maryland, Washington DC or Virginia medical malpractice attorney at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson,
DePaolis & Lightfoot, L.L.P. to assist you in pursuing
your claim. |
