Medical doctors generally operate by the standards that are inherent in the oath they take after graduating from medical school. When they take the Hippocratic oath, medical doctors pledge to do no harm to the patients under their care. For every medical doctor, there is an ethical and moral duty to act in accordance with accepted medical standards to minimize harm to patients.
Because the practice of medicine can quite literally result in life or death, medical doctors have a high duty to protect the health and lives of their patients. When medical doctors fail to uphold their duties, it can result in serious injuries, which are sometimes fatal.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
When a medical professional acts negligently and that negligence results in injury to their patient, they’ve committed medical malpractice. Medical malpractice can happen due to various mistakes made by medical professionals, such as misdiagnosing a patient, failing to treat a patient in a way that is consistent with standard medical procedures, or making a mistake while conducting a procedure or surgery. Legal action can be taken against medical professionals who commit malpractice so that the parties they injured can be compensated for their losses.
Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim
It’s important to remember that there are statutes of limitations related to how long you have to file a medical malpractice claim. Statutes of limitations are the timeframe within which you can take legal action. In Georgia, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims is two years. If you wait longer than two years to file your lawsuit, it will likely be dismissed by the court, and you’ll have lost your opportunity to pursue compensation through the legal system.
Hire an experienced medical malpractice lawyer right away. They can build a strong case for you but it will take some time so it’s important to get started right away.
They will argue on your behalf in negotiations with an insurance company or at trial. It’s possible that the medical professional’s insurance company could offer you a fair settlement to fully compensate you for your injuries. But if that does not happen, you may have no other choice than to file a lawsuit. Be sure to speak to a lawyer before you speak to any insurance adjusters so that you don’t say anything that could hurt your case.
Proving Your Medical Malpractice Case
Every medical malpractice case is different. Medical malpractice cases can be complex because they involve highly technical and scientific concepts and medical evidence.
The likelihood of winning a fair settlement in a medical malpractice claim or obtaining just compensation in a medical malpractice lawsuit is contingent upon the strength of your claim or case. The foundation of your claim or case is the evidence you can provide that proves that a medical professional’s negligence led to your injuries.
One of the biggest pieces of evidence in your medical malpractice claim will be your medical records. In your medical records, the medical treatment you received should be documented. Everything from procedures that you underwent and prescription drugs you were given to notes made by nurses regarding the monitoring of your vitals and diagnostic testing that was performed on you should be contained in your medical record. Your medical record could help connect the dots between the injuries you suffered and the actions or inaction of the medical professional who oversaw your care.
Expert medical testimony is also important in a medical malpractice claim or case, especially for cases in which the injuries or the cause of the injuries must be explained in highly scientific and medical terms. Experts may also be relied on to provide further insight into standard medical care and how the care you received deviated from those standards, which ultimately led to your injury.
Contact an Augusta Medical Malpractice Lawyer Now
The Augusta medical malpractice lawyers of Chris Hudson Law Group understand how devastating and traumatic it is for our clients who have been injured at the hands of medical professionals. Injured parties filing medical malpractice claims and lawsuits require experienced litigation attorneys because these can be some of the most complex and legally challenging claims and cases to fight. At Chris Hudson Law Group, our highly skilled lawyers don’t run from a challenge. We face it head-on and fight tirelessly to obtain the compensation our clients deserve.
If you’ve been seriously injured because of a medical professional’s negligence, contact Chris Hudson Law Group now. Exercise your right to pursue the compensation you may be owed. Schedule an initial consultation to discuss your case with our determined medical malpractice lawyers by calling (706) 863-6600 today.