What is medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice is a negligence claim against a healthcare facility or healthcare professional. All medical professionals, personnel and facilities are required to meet a particular standard of care, and if they fail, a lawsuit can be filed for damages.
Suing for medical malpractice in Georgia
With the assistance of a medical malpractice attorney such as Zach Meeks at Meeks Impact Law, you can sue any person or business “professing to practice surgery or the administering of medicine for compensation”, including doctors, surgeons, pharmaceutical companies and hospitals.
What does applicable standard of care mean?
The law requires healthcare professionals to “…….. bring to the exercise of his profession a reasonable degree of care and skill.” The applicable standard of care asks whether a reasonable healthcare professional with a similar background would have provided the same level of care in identical circumstances. A medical expert must testify to prove or disprove this.
Examples of medical malpractice in Georgia
Examples of medical malpractice include failure to warn a patient of known risks, prescribing the improper medication or dosage, unnecessary surgery or surgery performed on the wrong site, misdiagnosis of an illness or condition, and failure to diagnose an illness or condition.
I signed a consent form, can I still make a claim?
Yes, even if you sign a consent form, you can sue a healthcare provider with the assistance of a medical malpractice lawyer if you did not get the appropriate standard of care.
What can I do to support my case?
Whenever possible, document or report the pain, suffering and discomfort you experience due to medical negligence. If the injury keeps you from leading a normal life, keep a record of the daily activities you cannot do or struggle to do.
Damages in a medical malpractice lawsuit
Your dedicated malpractice attorney will provide a clearer indication of the possible damages in a medical malpractice lawsuit. There was a cap on claims for non-economic damages (declared unconstitutional in 2010), but there is no cap on economic damages.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit?
The Georgia Statute of Limitations on filing a medical malpractice lawsuit are:
- Two years from the date when “an injury or death arising from a negligent or wrongful act or omission occurred.”
I heard about the Good Samaritan law, what does it mean?
Georgia law protects persons providing emergency care (good Samaritans), for example, at the scene of an accident, from certain medical malpractice lawsuits.
Why do I need a medical malpractice lawyer in Georgia?
The medical field is highly technical, and a medical malpractice lawyer such as Zach Meeks at Meeks Impact Law, will guide you through the process while fighting for your rights.
Meeks Impact Law is a small client-focused personal injury law firm in Cumming, Georgia. Our team includes a legal nurse consultant who is also a certified ER nurse. Do you need a medical malpractice lawyer? Contact Meeks Impact Law today.