Our Atlanta Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Montlick and Associates know that people who are injured because of a mistake made by a doctor, hospital or other health care professional often experience injuries that have a profound impact on their quality of life. Our Atlanta malpractice attorneys are committed to helping patients who receive substandard medical care obtain compensation for these harmful effects. Because medical malpractice is one of the most complex areas of personal injury law, we have provided this blog to demystify some of these issues and answer key questions. While understandably most people would prefer to assume that they can trust that a medical professional will provide high quality care consistent with the health care provider's degree of expertise, experience and training, there are hundreds of thousands of people every year who suffer injury caused by substandard medical care.
If you have suffered serious injury or medical complications because of missed or delayed diagnosis, botched surgical procedure, improper administration of anesthesia or other practice that is not consistent with acceptable medical standards and procedures, we invite you to contact us to schedule a free case evaluation. Those with questions about medical malpractice are free to contact us regardless of the time of day, any day of the week at 1-800-LAW-NEED . Alternatively, injured patients also can contact us through our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
According to a medical negligence article, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that over 138 million patients are harmed by doctors' errors annually.
A news report published on www.naturalnews.com states that there are several common causes of surgical mistakes, including lack of skill, medical device failures, negligence, surgical incompetence, inadequate preparation, and lack of proper medical equipment. One of the most serious issues involves the failure to prepare for handling potential surgical complications. In many surgical malpractice cases, surgeons were found to be fatigued, heavy-handed, reckless, or operating while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
Birth injury lawsuits are a legal action filed in the court system that can help parents who have a child suffering from Erb's palsy, cerebral palsy, or another birth injury obtain financial compensation. Birth injury lawsuits are usually filed against the physicians, nurses, or other medical professionals who are responsible for a child's injuries before, during, or after the birthing process. Our birth injury attorneys file cases and work to recover monetary compensation to cover the costs of a child's treatment.
Cerebral palsy is a medical ailment that manifests itself in several ways. No matter how cerebral palsy develops, the condition severely impacts the life of the child and their family for several years in the future. One of the most common types of cerebral palsy is called "spastic cerebral palsy." As with all other types of cerebral palsy, there is no cure for spastic cerebral palsy. However, there are many devices and therapies available to help someone who is suffering from spastic cerebral palsy to have a better quality of life.
Ischemia is a dangerous circumstance in which oxygenated blood to the brain has been cut off or has been reduced. In order for the brain to operate properly, it needs a sufficient supply of oxygenated blood. When the supply of blood to the brain is cut off or reduced, brain tissue becomes destroyed. When brain tissue dies, the body functions connected with that brain tissue are lost forever.
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy birth injuries caused during delivery are severe and life-altering. Although the ailment usually occurs due to an error or delay, the condition will affect the child for the rest of their life. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (also known as HIE) is one of the primary causes of cerebral palsy in newborn children, and the injury cannot be reversed. Physicians and other medical staff might be able to avoid inducing HIE when they follow standard medical protocols and exercise caution in the delivery room.
When delivering a baby, many conditions and people must be present and available for the mother and child. If something is not correct, the mother could experience complications. If the unborn baby is losing oxygen or blood or the delivery team isn't ready to evaluate the newborn for post-birth complications, the mother and the baby could face life-threatening injuries if something goes wrong.
MACON, GA – According to an online news report posted on 13wmaz.com, the Leapfrog Group, a national health-care analyst, issued "C" grades to three of Central Georgia's largest hospitals: Houston Medical Center, Navicent Baldwin, and Medical Center-Navicent Health. The below-average ratings were the results of safety concerns. The reports disclose safety issues such as errors, and accidents which often result in serious injuries. Navicent-Baldwin increased its rating from a rating of "D" the hospital received last year. Houston Medical Center's rating fell from a rating of "B" last year to a rating of "C" this year.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced recently that they discovered a bacteria that is resistant to all known antibiotics. This strain of bacteria, which is most commonly found in hospitals and nursing homes has invaded 27 states in the U.S. so far. Approximately half of the people infected with these so-called “superbugs” die as a restful of the uncontrollable infection. People with chronic illnesses and the elderly are at the highest risk of death from an infection caused by a superbug. Consequently, nursing homes and hospitals must be alert and quickly identify people infected by the resilient bacteria and take immediate steps to prevent the spread of the disease.
Many times when people talk about birth injuries, they talk about things that happen to an infant during labor and delivery. It is essential that we not forget that mothers are also at risk for getting hurt during labor and delivery. While a mother’s body is designed to return to its former shape and functioning (or close to it), many times labor and delivery leave a mother with changes in her body that she might not want to talk about - injuries to her pelvic area that can cause pain, a feeling of heaviness, flatulence, and incontinence.
When a doctor or other medical provider negligently causes a serious injury to his or her patient, the injured person may be able to hold the doctor liable for the harm that was done. This type of personal injury claim is called medical malpractice.
Recent studies into the rates of medical malpractice in the United States have shocked many people by showing that medical malpractice is a much larger problem than most would have thought. It turns out that medical errors account for over 250,000 deaths a year, placing medical malpractice as the third leading cause of death in America, outranked only by heart disease and cancer. Of course, this only shows the rates of the most serious cases, ones in which people lose their lives. Other devastating medical errors can leave patients with severe injuries, and extremely expensive medical bills.
Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects hundreds of thousands of children throughout the United States. It can develop before, during, or after birth, depending on the circumstances of the pregnancy and delivery of the child. This condition is unique to every single child, as the way in which cerebral palsy develops is different. In some instances, a genetic mutation can be blamed for contributing to the development of cerebral palsy. In other instances, cerebral palsy may be caused by an injury sustained at birth. In such cases, it is important to investigate to what extent a child may have suffered an injury at birth.
Hospitals and other large healthcare facilities are intended to provide necessary medical treatment to patients to help them recover for their ailments. While hospitals must take every possible measure to keep the atmosphere clean, given the number of patients and the variety of diseases present, some patients acquire illnesses or diseases while at the hospital. Hospitals have a responsibility to follow laws, rules, regulations, and policies to meet certain standards to reduce the risk that patients, especially children, are at risk for suffering a serious hospital-acquired illness.
Most pharmacists are excellent at their jobs, and we all depend on them to fill our prescriptions when needed. However, pharmacy errors are a fact of life given that so many patients take medications that prescription errors are bound to happen from time to time. Because pharmacy errors are a fact of life, all patients should be wary and cautious to ensure they are taking the proper medication as prescribed by their doctor.
A significant number of medical malpractice lawsuits allege that injured individuals have been administered either the wrong medication or the wrong dose of medication, among other prescription errors. This is a problem that exists for many hospitals where patients are administered IV drugs. Because this has proven to be such a problem, one hospital has implemented a safety program to help reduce the risk and incidence of medication errors.
Serious injuries have the potential to cause significant brain damage that can leave a person partially or completely incapacitated. When catastrophic injures lead to severe brain damage, it can be devastating on loved ones who are caring for the injured person. Medical malpractice is something that occurs every day despite efforts to reduce and eventually eliminate this type of negligence. Patients entrust the expertise and qualifications of doctors to provide medical care and treatment that does not cause unnecessary harm. While many doctors provide excellent care and save lives, there are other doctors who have caused harm to patients as a result of negligent conduct.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that doctors and other medical professionals who have been accused of sexually assaulting their patients receive lenient punishments. Most doctors do not face criminal prosecution, let alone punishment. Furthermore, the overwhelming number of medical boards across the nation take remedial measures but very rarely revoke a physician's license to practice medicine. The average person facing charges such as these would face stiff criminal penalties for such demeaning, egregious, and perverted behavior. If you or someone you love was assault by a physician in Georgia, you should seek the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney who can fight for your rights, protect your dignity, and tirelessly work to vindicate your claim.
Like other medical professionals, optometrists are held to a certain standard of care when they treat their patients. When they make errors it can cause serious harm to their patients. In certain cases, the optometrist can find himself or herself liable for damages to the injured patient.
We rely on our doctors to give us expert advice that will help to improve or maintain our health and cure our ailments. We put a great deal of trust into the medical professionals who treat us because their decisions can quite literally be life or death for us in many cases. So what happens when your doctor decides that you need surgery, and you undergo a difficult and painful procedure, at great expense to you, and then find out that it might have been entirely unnecessary? Is this grounds for a medical malpractice case? It could be.
Please Note:
Many of our blog articles discuss the law. All information provided about the law is very general in nature and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Every situation is different, and should be analyzed by a lawyer who can provide individualized advice based on the facts involved in your unique situation, and a consideration of all of the nuances of the statutes and case law that apply at the time.
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