The rapidly increasing number of medical malpractice cases has made it the third leading cause of death in the United States. Hundreds and thousands of patients are affected by the carelessness and negligence of healthcare professionals every year. Annually, more than 700 Americans lose their lives due to lack of adequate care and erroneous treatment by doctors. Some researchers claim that the number of patients who die due to medical malpractice is quite higher as most people are not aware of what medical malpractice entails and how they can protect their rights.

Lack of awareness is a major factor behind the diminishing healthcare standards. If patients were aware of their rights, healthcare professionals would be more careful and pay more attention to their job responsibilities.

What is Medical Malpractice?

The term medical malpractice refers to the negligence or carelessness of a health professional, doctor or an institution which caused harm to a patient. Negligence can be in the form of an erroneous diagnosis or failure to correctly diagnosing a patient in a timely fashion or even failure to provide proper post-treatment care to their patient. In short, negligence which results in mistakes during diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment care can be constituted as medical malpractice. Any mistake, made either by neglection or omission, which causes harm and injury to the patient makes a solid medical malpractice case against the healthcare professional or institution.

How do you cope with Medical Malpractice?

If you feel like you or your loved one did not receive proper medical treatment and that lead to further suffering or even death, you might have a strong case. A personal injury lawyer can recommend you the best course of action based on the facts of your case. In most instances, the negligence of a doctor or medical institution is gauged by comparing the care the patient would have received from another doctor or medical establishment under similar circumstances. It is important to understand that medical malpractice can only be proved if it is proven that the negligence directly caused injury to the patient. Merely proving negligence without connecting it to the injury sustained by the patient cannot substantiate a claim of medical malpractice. Therefore, it is imperative to devise a comprehensive strategy before filing a claim.

The negative implications of medical malpractice can be severe and life-altering. It is important that you consult an experienced medical malpractice attorney who will work to protect your legal rights and pursue rightful compensation. Contact the team at Wright & James, P.C. to start your recovery process at 404-624-7447.