In the medical field, the term “medical malpractice” refers to when a healthcare professional violates a patient’s rights through wrongful action or negligence. When this occurs, a victim can file a lawsuit to recover compensation for damages such as lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.
A Seattle medical malpractice attorney is well versed in these types of claims, and can help a victim recover fair compensation. A successful claim often requires sifting through many medical records, including those that involve treatment received in care centers such as hospitals, doctor’s offices, and rehab clinics. The Seattle medical malpractice attorneys at Elk & Elk are highly knowledgeable about this type of litigation, and know how to investigate a case to uncover any potential mistakes.
As a result, they can effectively secure the maximum amount of compensation possible for their clients’ injuries and losses. The firm represents victims in cases involving misdiagnosis, surgical errors, hospital negligence, medication mistakes, birth injuries, and wrongful deaths. The firm’s founder, Dean Barett, has more than 40 years of legal experience and finds working with personal injury and wrongful death clients personally rewarding.
Medical professionals are expected to adhere to a specific standard of care when treating patients. A Seattle medical malpractice advocate’s legal expertise in action lawyer must first establish this standard, and then show that the defendant deviated from it and that this breach of duty caused a patient’s injury or death. The firm can use a variety of strategies to prove this, such as presenting expert testimony from another healthcare provider who can testify that the healthcare provider’s actions fell below the accepted standard.
Those who have been harmed by a healthcare professional’s wrongful actions should contact a Seattle medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. Typically, these cases are very complex and must be filed within three years of the initial date of the healthcare professional’s mistake. An attorney can help a victim navigate the state’s laws and file a claim within the appropriate deadline.
When a claim is successfully settled, the victim may receive compensation that includes payment for past and future medical expenses, lost income, emotional distress, and physical injury. Some victims can also receive punitive damages for the healthcare professional’s negligent actions.
While most doctors are dedicated to their work, there is a small percentage that fall below standards and commit negligence or wrongful acts. Injuries and even wrongful deaths due to these acts can have devastating consequences for the victim and their loved ones. Those who have suffered due to these incidents should consult an experienced medical malpractice attorney in Seattle as soon as possible.