Medical malpractice is a serious issue that can have devastating consequences for the lives of patients and their families. Unfortunately, medical negligence is all too common, with thousands of medical malpractice cases being reported each year. When you’ve been injured due to medical negligence, the last thing you want to do is add another layer of stress—like finding a lawyer. But if you are considering filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, hiring an attorney can be incredibly beneficial. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to speak with a Plano medical malpractice attorney.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider is negligent in their care and the patient suffers harm as a result. Negligence can include diagnostic errors, medication errors, surgical mistakes, or improper treatment. It’s important to understand that not every situation involving a medical mistake constitutes negligence or malpractice; to be considered negligence, the medical professional must have deviated from accepted standards of practice, resulting in harm to the patient.
There are some instances where it might be difficult to determine whether negligence occurred or not; this is where an experienced attorney will be crucial. They will be able to review your case and provide legal advice on whether you have a valid claim or not.
Compensation in a Medical Malpractice Claim
While each case is unique, there are certain types of damages that are generally available in medical malpractice lawsuits, including the following:
Economic Damages
The most common type of damages awarded in medical malpractice claims are economic damages, which are those that are quantifiable and easily calculated. These include lost wages due to missed work and medical bills for surgery, medication, treatment, and other related expenses.
Non-economic Damages
In addition to economic damages, non-economic damages can be awarded for pain and suffering as well as emotional distress. These types of damages are much more difficult to calculate because they involve intangible losses such as physical pain, mental anguish, humiliation, loss of consortium (loss of companionship), disfigurement or disability, and loss of enjoyment or quality of life.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are rare but can be awarded in particularly egregious cases when gross negligence was involved—for example, if a doctor operated on the wrong body part or botched a procedure intentionally with malicious intent.
Punitive damage awards serve as a deterrent for future similar incidents by punishing those responsible for their actions through large monetary fines meant to send a message about how unacceptable their conduct was considered by the court system.
You Must File Your Claim By The Deadline
In the state of Texas, there is a two-year statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims. This means that if you are filing a lawsuit against your doctor or healthcare provider for medical negligence, you must do so within two years from when the incident occurred or from when it should have reasonably been discovered by you or by another healthcare provider.
Why The Law Office of Edward W. Sampson is The Right Choice
Facing a medical malpractice issue can be overwhelming and daunting. It’s important to have the right people on your side who will provide you with expert advice and are dedicated to helping you through it all. When it comes to finding a lawyer, we’re the right choice. Here’s why.
We Understand What You’re Going Through
Legal issues can be confusing and overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what your rights are or how the law applies to your case. That’s why it is important to have an experienced Plano personal injury lawyer on your side who understands what you’re going through.
We Have The Experience
Our team has been practicing law for more than 10 years, so we understand all aspects of the law and how it applies to different cases.
We Take a Personal Approach
At our firm, we believe in taking a personal approach when dealing with our clients. We strive to get to know each one on a personal level to better understand their needs and provide them with tailored advice and solutions. This ensures that our clients get the best possible outcome from their legal issues.
At The Law Office of Edward W. Sampson, we are passionate about helping people achieve justice through expert legal representation. If you need help, contact us today to schedule a free consultation.