Dallas Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Medical Errors Injure Patients. We Hold Doctors Accountable

Medical errors are a major source of injury and even death. Patients go to the doctor hoping to receive treatment that will make them well. Instead, too many end up sicker than before and they don’t know what is wrong.

The Pennington Law Firm can help. Our firm understands the duty of care that medical providers like doctors owe their patients. If a doctor fails to provide adequate care, then Texas law provides a remedy in the form of a malpractice lawsuit for financial compensation. Contact our firm to find out more from our Dallas medical malpractice lawyer. Our consultations are free.

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice is a type of professional negligence. A medical provider owes their patients a duty of care. In particular, they must follow the correct standard of care based on the circumstances. Medical professionals receive extensive training, and they must use the skill that we have come to expect from them. When a medical provider is careless and a patient is hurt, they have committed malpractice.

There are many examples of medical malpractice:

• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. A medical provider might fail to properly diagnose your condition in a timely manner, leading to delays in treatment. A delayed cancer diagnosis could result in a terminal condition.
• Treatment errors. A doctor could set a bone wrong or a nurse could jab you with a needle. Any substandard treatment could qualify as malpractice.
• Medication errors. Doctors might prescribe the wrong medication, or a pharmacist dispenses the wrong medication. Nurses can also give patients the wrong pill or wrong dosage.
• Surgical mistakes. Many things can go wrong in surgery. A surgeon might accidentally damage healthy tissue, remove the wrong limb or organ, or botch a surgery. Anesthesia errors are common, too.
• Infections. Too many hospitals have dangerous infections circulating, and a failure to sterilize equipment can spread infection to patients.

Steps to Take

Many people are unsure if they are the victim of malpractice. For example, you might have received treatment but not improved. Or your condition worsened immediately after you began taking new prescriptions. One thing you can do is go to a different doctor for a second opinion.

Remember to hold onto all prescriptions and write down which doctors or hospitals you visited. A Dallas medical malpractice lawyer will want to see this information.

Reach out to an experienced attorney. We can help pull together medical evidence. We might also consult a medical expert to identify what treatment you should have received. We can then judge your doctor’s actions against this standard.

Medical Malpractice Settlements

Doctors and other professionals should carry malpractice insurance, which pays out settlements to injured patients. We typically negotiate with the insurance company, not the doctor or hospital who injured you.

Insurance companies are aggressive when they defend these claims. They will usually have their own expert who claims the doctor did nothing wrong. Very few doctors or hospitals admit to mistakes, so we must put your case forward in convincing detail.

We also need to prove your damages:

1.       Cost of additional medical care or corrective surgery. Failure to diagnose could require more intensive medical intervention. We will compile proof of the cost of this care.

2.       Lost income or wages. Because you were sick, you might have missed work and lost income.

3.       Pain and suffering. Negligent medical care leaves many patients in intense anguish. We will work to show how you have suffered because of the failure to provide adequate care.

The negotiation process can take months, even a year or more. There are many advantages to settling. You can avoid a trial, which is very stressful. Several years could pass before you get your day in court.

Why You Should Hire a Dallas Medical Malpractice Attorney

This is one type of claim which victims should not handle on their own. You should hire an experienced lawyer who understands medical malpractice law and all the hoops you must jump through to file a claim.

Our firm represents clients on a contingency fee basis. This means we don’t charge any legal fees unless we win your case. At that point, we’ll take a percentage, around 40% of any settlement or jury award.

Start searching for a lawyer as soon as possible. The statute of limitations for “med mal” cases is only two years from the date of the medical error which injured you. Once two years have passed, you are unable to sue.

Contact a Dallas Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today

The Pennington Firm is happy to meet with anyone injured by shoddy medical care. Our consultations are free, so consult us today.