Dealing with medical issues is tough enough. When those issues are the result of medical malpractice, it becomes tougher still. When you seek out medical help, you have the reasonable expectation that the doctors and other medical professionals you pay to help you will at very least “do no harm.” However, that’s not always the case. Some medical issues are actually created by medical professionals or made worse by them due to their negligence and failure to act according to established standards. If you have suffered at the hands of a medical professional—whether a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant, midwife, radiologist, pharmacist, or dentist—you owe it to yourself and all patients that come after you to hold the at-fault party accountable. Our Tacoma medical malpractice attorney can help.
Third-Leading Cause of Death in the U.S.
Shockingly, medical malpractice is the third-leading cause of death in the United States; only cancer and heart disease kill more people. According to government data, nearly a quarter-million people die each year due to medical staff errors and negligence by doctors and surgeons. Most medical malpractice cases become complicated quickly, requiring an attorney capable of combining legal expertise with medical expertise in order to accurately understand the various medical issues involved, interpret documents, and properly institute a malpractice claim.
Examples of Medical Malpractice
Most medical malpractice claims hedge on proving that a care provider acted in a manner that was less than the accepted standard that a professional with the same training and expertise would have acted. Medical malpractice may stem from:
- Diagnosing cancer, for instance, when the patient does not have cancer, can lead to invasive and expensive tests, expose the patient to unnecessary and potentially harmful chemicals and treatments, and put undue stress and anxiety on the patient.
- Failing to diagnose. Failing to properly reach a diagnosis can delay treatment of conditions that ultimately lead to worsened health or even death. Treating the patient for a different, non-existent condition can expose the patient to unnecessary procedures and medications.
- Medication errors. Failing to take all of the patient’s medications into account prior to prescribing medication can lead to dangerous interactions. Dosage errors or mislabeling of medicines can result in serious negative outcomes.
- Surgical errors. Straying from acceptable procedures or keeping the patient under anesthesia too long can result in serious complications, up to and including death.
- Anesthesiology errors. Inattention during surgery can lead to the patient’s death. Miscalculations of anesthesia medication can result in undue pain, patients waking while still undergoing a procedure, or even death.
Consultation with a Medical Malpractice Attorney
The days, weeks and months following a medical malpractice injury can be difficult enough; when you factor in the complexities of working with an attorney, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. At Russell and Hill, our compassionate and knowledgeable Tacoma medical malpractice attorney understands what you are going through and will work diligently to help you get the compensation and justice you deserve. Contact us now to schedule your no-cost, obligation-free consultation and case review so that you can put the pieces back together and move on with your life.
206-880-7703