A Medical malpractice lawyer can help victims of health care-related negligence recover compensation. The damages awarded in these cases may cover the costs of future treatment, rehabilitation and even nursing care, lost income, pain and suffering and other related losses. These attorneys understand the complexities of medical negligence laws and will fight to obtain fair results for their clients.

An experienced attorney will review all relevant case details and gather the necessary information to determine whether or not there are grounds for a medical malpractice claim. This includes the patient’s medical records, hospital bills and eyewitness statements. In addition, an attorney will also conduct a thorough investigation to ensure that the evidence is strong enough to support the claims.

In order to successfully bring a medical malpractice lawsuit, the patient must prove that a doctor or health care provider failed to meet their duty of care to the patient. This duty is a legal responsibility that all health care professionals must uphold, and it requires them to act within the expected standards of their particular specialty.

For example, a heart surgeon is expected to perform their procedures in accordance with the standards set by other physicians in that same specialty. Similarly, a doctor who is treating a patient with an infection is expected to provide the standard of care given to other doctors treating similar patients.

If a patient is able to show that a doctor breached their duty of care and this breach directly caused injury or death, the victim can file a successful medical malpractice claim. In a typical medical malpractice case, an expert will be called to testify about the circumstances surrounding the patient’s injury or death and how they compare with the accepted standards of care in the medical community.

Some medical malpractice cases involve a misdiagnosis. This can be life-threatening if a serious illness is not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner, especially when the disease is terminal or could have been prevented with early diagnosis and treatment. In other cases, a doctor may diagnose a patient correctly but fail to follow up on the results of any diagnostic imaging tests. This type of mistake often occurs when the physician is overloaded with work and cannot devote the time required to each individual patient.

Other examples of medical malpractice include birth injuries that occur during pregnancy or during or immediately after childbirth, medication errors, surgical mistakes and gallbladder surgery errors (laparoscopic cholecystectomy). A skilled medical malpractice attorney will be able to assess each potential case and determine if the medical professional violated their duty of care to the patient. A good attorney will know how to present these facts in a convincing manner and get the most favorable outcome for their client. This includes negotiating with insurance representatives and fighting aggressively in court to reach the most desirable outcomes for their clients.