|



Medical
Malpractice- An Overview
Medical
Malpractice occurs when a negligent act or omission by a doctor or other
medical professional results in damage or harm to a patient. Negligence by a medical professional
could include an error in the failure to timely and adequately diagnose,
treat or manage an illness. If such
negligence results in injury to a patient, a case could arise against the
doctor if his or her actions deviated from generally accepted standards of
practice; against the hospital for improper care, such as problems with
medications, sanitation or nursing care; or against local, state or federal
agencies that operate hospital facilities.
Medical
malpractice laws are designed to protect patients’ rights to pursue
compensation if they are injured as the result of negligence. However, malpractice suits are often
complex and costly to win. While
theoretically, you can seek compensation for any injury caused by
negligence, regardless of its seriousness, time and money make it
unrealistic to sue for an injury that is minor or resolves quickly. Therefore, if you believe you have a
medical malpractice claim, it is important to consult with Bauer &
Baebler, P.C. at 1(800) 682-4529 who can help you determine whether your
claim is worth pursuing.
Medical
malpractice is not limited to medical doctors. It applies also to osteopaths, nurses,
dentists, health care facilities and others providing health care services.
Understanding Informed Consent
In many
situations where medical care or treatment is provided to an individual, medical
professionals are required to obtain the patient’s “informed
consent”. Although the
specific definition of informed consent may vary from state to state, it
means essentially that a physician (or other medical provider) must tell a
patient all of the potential benefits, risks, and alternatives involved in
any surgical procedure, medical procedure, or other course of treatment,
and must obtain the patient’s written consent to proceed.
Responsible Parties in Medical
Malpractice Actions
Medical
malpractice is not limited to medical doctors. It applies also to nurses, dentists,
osteopaths, health care facilities, and others providing health care
services, such as nursing homes.
Medical Experts
Establishing
wrongdoing on the part of a health care provider is often difficult. It requires the hiring of experts, in the
same field as the health care professional being charged with misconduct,
who must testify as to what the defendant should have done under applicable
professional standards. Since medical
organizations generally discourage those in the medical professions from
testifying against one another, it is difficult to find experts who have
the integrity to come forward and testify as to misconduct by one of their
peers. In addition, many insurance
companies providing coverage to health care providers require that they not
testify against other providers who are insured by the same company. Bauer & Baebler, P.C. will have your
case reviewed by an expert licensed in the particular medical field of
interest if malpractice did occur.
Medical Malpractice Resource Links
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
Features information on accident causes and prevention, traffic fatalities,
drowning, falls, and more.
Division of Quality Assurance
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. Links to National Practitioner
Data Bank and the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank.
DrugIntel
A comprehensive pharmaceutical information and medical product liability
website.

Home | FirmOverview | B&B Fela Practice |
Other B&B Practice Areas |
Contact Us
FELA | Medical Malpractice |
Product Liability |
Motor Vehicle Accident
Attorney Profiles |
Client Testimonials |
Referring Attorneys |
Web Resources |
Site Map | Verdicts and Settlements
Disclaimer:
It should be noted that use of this web-site does not create an
attorney-client relationship with the law firm of Bauer & Baebler, P.C.
or any attorneys associated with the firm.
Copyright © 2007
by Bauer & Baebler. All
rights reserved. You may reproduce materials available at this site for your
own personal use and for non-commercial distribution. All copies must
include this copyright statement.
|