When you see a healthcare provider, such as a doctor, nurse, psychiatrist, pharmacist, dentist, or phlebotomist, you expect them to take care when interacting with and prescribing things to you. When they rush tests, cut you off when you are trying to convey critical information, or make careless mistakes that harm you, state personal injury laws may empower you to sue them in court. Filing a lawsuit against your provider or treating team could help you reclaim your agency and protect your health, as well as prevent others from experiencing the same or similar harm.
To help you take this step, consider contacting a Lake County medical malpractice lawyer on our team. We understand how painful and disorienting it can be to sustain harm at the hands of those entrusted to help you heal during your vulnerable moments. Our dedicated personal injury attorneys have an impressive array of skills and are steadfast in their commitment to helping empower the injured as they seek to rebuild their lives.
The Responsibility of Medical Practitioners
Doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, chiropractors, and others in the healthcare field have a responsibility to treat patients with respect and dignity and in accordance with the standard practice in their fields. For example, a heart doctor should ensure that the methods and medicines they are using to treat their patients align with what others with similar experiences are doing. Likewise, a provider should clearly explain their diagnosis, the instructions they are giving the patient as far as treating their condition, and any alternatives or important side effects.
Additionally, as explained in Florida Statutes § 381.026, those receiving care from a medical provider have a host of rights that their team should honor and respect while treating or communicating with them. For example, a physician should respect a patient’s autonomy and make sure the patient understands important aspects of their care. Moreover, it is the job of the person receiving treatment to accept or reject a particular diagnostic recommendation or to get a second opinion, and the responsibility also rests with them to give their informed consent along the way.
When healthcare providers fail to respect a patient’s wishes, keep key facts hidden from a patient, or do things that are not backed up by up-to-date medical knowledge, an affected patient may qualify to sue them for malpractice. A medical malpractice attorney in Lake County could help a person discover the underlying cause of their condition and gather and submit evidence to request compensation from those who are responsible for what happened.
Proving Fault When a Doctor or Nurse’s Errors Injures Someone in Their Care
When a medical professional harms a patient due to a mistake, the patient may have the right to sue them for malpractice if they can draw a connection between the professional’s errors and their new or worsening condition. Likewise, a person should also be able to prove that, under Fla. Stat. § 766.102, the doctor’s actions did not meet the same level of care that others in their position would follow. For example, if it is customary for a cardiovascular doctor to order a panel of tests to rule out a particular condition when diagnosing a patient, a provider who does not do this might be committing malpractice.
To help them prove their case against the careless doctor or surgeon, the injured person may call on expert witnesses to give their opinion on what should have happened and what the negligent professional did instead. In many malpractice cases, these special witnesses are practicing physicians who may have valuable experience in the field the careless professional is in.
An attorney in Lake County could assist with a medical malpractice claim by carefully reviewing the record and finding ways to argue that the healthcare worker made a mistake. Additionally, they could use their carefully honed skills and understanding of medical terms to break down seemingly complex diagnoses and recommendations in a patient’s chart.
Call an Attorney in Lake County for Legal Help After a Healthcare Provider Commits Malpractice
When healthcare providers break their oaths to their patients, they can inflict lifelong physical and relational wounds that never fully heal. When you are in this position, you deserve to be heard and to pursue fair compensation that speaks to your immense losses.
Our team could help you on this journey to secure justice. Contact our team today to get in touch with a Lake County medical malpractice lawyer.
