My Doctor Caused Me to Sustain Injuries, What Do I Do?
My Doctor Caused Me to Sustain Injuries, What Do I Do?
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.
Given the frequency with which medical errors cause injuries to patients, it is wise to have an idea of what to do if you find yourself injured as the result of a doctor or medical caregiver’s mistake or negligence.
First steps following injury from a medical error
If you find that you have suffered harm and believe it is the result of a mistake made by your doctor, you should contact the him or her to try and find out what exactly went wrong. In some cases, mistakes are not overly serious, and the situation might be possible to fix without the long drawn out process of filing a claim against the doctor. If you do not feel as though the situation has been remedied after speaking to the doctor, you can report the incident to the medical licensing board. Medical licensing boards have the ability to discipline doctors, and they could have advice on further options.
Speaking with an attorney
If you believe that your doctor caused you a serious injury and has not made the proper steps to remedy the situation, you may wish to speak to an attorney to discuss your options and your rights. One possible step an attorney might advise you to take is to get a medical assessment, sometimes referred to as a “sworn affidavit,” signed by a medical doctor competent to testify, setting forth his or her opinion that negligence occurred. In Georgia, it is required to obtain such an affidavit in order to file a medical malpractice claim. There are times when a physician might fail to fix something for a patient, but where the medical treatment was not guaranteed to work, or was risky. In these cases, the doctor could have failed without actually having committed malpractice.
A poor outcome in a procedure does not necessarily mean that the doctor did something wrong. However, if you believe that medical malpractice occurred, it is worth speaking with one of our attorneys at Montlick and Associates, where we can review the facts and circumstances of what happened as well as advise you on the appropriate steps to protect your legal rights. Do not delay in seeking legal assistance, as you have a limited amount of time to pursue a claim.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years Of Legal Experience To Work For Your Case!
If you have been injured in any type of accident caused by someone else's negligence, contact Montlick & Associates today for your free consultation with an experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney in Georgia. Montlick & Associates has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over 39 years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state.
No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
Source: Cited in the article
Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law
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Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: 1 (800) LAW-NEED
Telephone: 1 (404) 529-6333