When you or a loved one suffers an injury due to medical negligence, it can be devastating physically, emotionally, and financially. Medical mistakes are alarmingly common and can occur at any stage of care. Patients put immense trust in medical professionals, so any breach of that trust through negligence is unacceptable. Victims of medical malpractice have legal rights to pursue compensation for the damages they have incurred.
Continue reading this to learn the common types of medical injuries, the rights victims have, and how their team of skilled Medical Injury Lawyers can fight for justice.
It's an unfortunate reality that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, just behind heart disease and cancer. Some of the most common types of medical negligence that can severely injure patients include:
Surgeries require incredible precision, so any lapse in procedure or concentration can have disastrous results. Examples include operating on the wrong body part, leaving surgical instruments or materials inside the patient, causing infections through poor sanitation, or improperly administering anesthesia.
Errors in prescribing or dispensing medications account for a staggering number of injuries each year. This can involve giving patients the wrong medication, improper dosages, medications that negatively interact with existing prescriptions, or failing to identify and account for a patient's allergies.
The birthing process is extremely delicate, so any mishandling or improper procedures can cause permanent harm to both mother and child. Common birth injuries include delays, misuse of birthing tools, failure to order a C-section, and improper delivery techniques.
Misdiagnosis or complete failure to diagnose a medical condition in a timely manner is another major source of injury. When illnesses go undetected, patients cannot get the proper treatment they need. This allows the disease or condition to unnecessarily worsen, often diminishing the effectiveness of eventual treatment.
Doctors have a legal and ethical obligation to explain procedures, risks, alternatives, and get full informed consent from patients. Failing to properly educate patients and disregarding their right to make informed choices is unacceptable.
The consequences of medical malpractice can be physically, emotionally, and financially devastating for victims and their families. Injuries can require extensive ongoing treatment, create disabilities that prevent returning to work, and inflict tremendous pain and suffering. In the most tragic cases, medical negligence proves fatal.
That's why it's so important for victims to understand their legal rights to pursue compensation for damages. Through a medical malpractice lawsuit, Personal Injury Attorneys fight to recover:
All past, current and future costs of treating the injury caused by negligence should be compensated. This includes hospitalizations, surgeries, medication, medical equipment, rehabilitation, home healthcare assistance, and any other related medical expense.
If the injury leaves the victim unable to return to work or forces them into a lower paying job, compensation can be obtained for all lost wages, future earning potential, and diminished ability to earn income over a lifetime. For married victims, a spouse's lost income related to caring for their partner can also be recovered.
The immense physical and emotional trauma of a severe medical injury is life-altering. Victims deserve compensation for their extraordinary pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and diminished quality of life.
When medical negligence is fatal, grieving families may be able to recover losses through a wrongful death claim. This includes losses of companionship, household services, future earnings, funeral costs and conscious pain and suffering leading up to the death.
Being hurt by a medical mistake is a very difficult and painful experience that no one should have to go through. However, there’s no need to deal with this alone. The lawyers at Godosky & Gentile have spent their whole careers fighting for people who were injured by the same medical workers they trusted to take care of them.
For over 60 years, Godosky & Gentile has been one of the best law firms in New York City. Our experienced team of personal injury lawyers has taken on big hospitals, healthcare companies, and their insurance companies and won. With a passion for justice and proven results, they have the skill to handle these very complex medical malpractice cases.
If you or a loved one was injured due to a preventable medical mistake, contact us today.
