Delray Beach Medical Malpractice Lawyer
When you need medical care, you trust that your doctors will provide you with skillful, ethical care. No one ever expects to suffer at the hands of a trained physician. But what happens when your medical provider fails to act in your best interests?
Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional deviates from established norms in delivering patient care, thus causing a patient’s injury or death. A Delray Beach medical malpractice lawyer from the Law Office of Casey D. Shomo can help you determine whether your case constitutes malpractice.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
Medical negligence isn’t always easy to identify, but what follows are some common examples:
- Misdiagnosis and failure to diagnose
- Surgical errors
- Failure to take or acknowledge the patient’s history
- Inadequate follow-up or aftercare
- Medication errors, such as improper dosage or prescription
The results of medical malpractice can be devastating to your overall health and quality of life. Consequences of the above errors may be severe:
- Exaggeration of a Minimal Risk – for example, if a physician fails to diagnose cancer at an early stage, the risk to the patient will greatly increase as the cancer has opportunity to grow.
- Unnecessary Pain, Infection, or Procedure – surgical errors known as “wrong-site, wrong-procedure, wrong-patient errors” can have catastrophic, wholly avoidable effects. Similarly, if a doctor showed negligence in the operating room by leaving surgical tools inside the body during a procedure, you could be entitled to a large settlement.
- Worsening of Condition Due to Inappropriate Follow-Up – Physicians have a duty to follow proper protocol if routine testing detects abnormalities or potential threats. For example, if a doctor does not follow procedural norms after an abnormal Pap smear indicates possible cervical cancer, the affected patient might be eligible for a malpractice suit.
Medical negligence may be tragic and avoidable, but it is far from uncommon. In fact, a study from Johns Hopkins suggests that medical malpractice may be the third leading cause of death in the United States. A Delray Beach medical malpractice lawyer will fight to protect you from further pain and suffering resulting from medical error.
Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice suits are often complicated and difficult to win. Doctors, hospital employees, and hospitals themselves often have their interests protected by healthcare industry lobbyists and the prohibitive legislation they champion. Additionally, Florida has complicated pre-suit requirements you must fulfill before suing in court.
In Florida, you must begin your malpractice lawsuit within two years of discovering the injury—or, at the latest, within four years of discovering the malpractice incident (unless you can provide proof of concealment or fraud). This means it is critical to contact a Delray Beach medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you suspect injury from medical negligence.
Our firm has extensive experience investigating malpractice, and we will work to get you compensation that accounts for all of your damages and losses:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages and earning capacity
- Funeral costs of a loved one
- Physical and emotional therapy
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
Contact a Delray Beach Medical Negligence Lawyer
If you have suffered as a result of medical malpractice, there is help available. Contact the Law Offices of Casey D. Shomo today. Just call 561-659-6366 or complete the contact form below. Your consultation with a Delray Beach medical malpractice lawyer is free and carries no obligation to proceed.
