Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Johns Creek

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Medical Malpractice Attorneys That Fight For Your Care.

Nurses, doctors, surgeons, and other medical professionals who are responsible for your well-being are often given a special kind of trust which unfortunately is not always rewarded. In some cases, the actions or lack of action from a healthcare professional can reach the level of malpractice.

Medical Malpractice is more common in the United States than you might think. Studies have shown that more than 250,000 Americans die every year from medical errors. This puts medical malpractice as the third-leading cause of death, only to be beaten by heart disease and cancer. If you or a loved one is a victim of medical malpractice and wish to take legal action, we are ready to build your case and fight for your compensation.

What Damages Can Be Awarded In Medical Malpractice Lawsuits?

The victims of medical malpractice may be awarded damages for the harm incurred. These damages intend to compensate for the losses they have suffered, including:

• Lost Wages or Loss of Capacity to Earn: You may be eligible to collect compensation for lost wages if you are forced to take time away from work to recover from your injury. You may also be awarded compensation for diminished earning capacity if you are unable to earn the same amount of money prior to your injury.
• Medical Expenses: This may cover hospital stays, doctor visits, prescription drugs, physical therapy, prescription drugs, assistive devices, and other costs associated with your injury, both past, and future.
• Pain and Suffering: Physical pain, as well as emotional distress such as anxiety, depression, fear, and other mental sufferings, are compensated by Pain and Suffering damages.
• Loss of Consortium: Loss of aid, companionship, or other benefits of a familiar relationship can be caused by compensation awarded to surviving family members.
• Other Damages: Other various damages you may be awarded can include disfigurement, loss of life’s enjoyment, and punitive damages which is intended to punish severe negligence.

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What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice is described as the negligent act or omission by a hospital, doctor, or other health care professional, that causes an injury to a patient. If a medical professional was medically negligent, you may be eligible for compensation for any ensuing losses.

Medical negligence for example would be if a surgeon removes the wrong organ or leaves a surgical tool inside a patient’s body after a procedure and a subsequent injury ensues. If the injured person can demonstrate that their injuries were caused directly by the negligent act, they may be awarded various damages such as lost wages, emotional suffering, medical expenses, and more.

There are numerous types of medical malpractice cases, some including:

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Hospital Malpractice

There are some instances where the hospital itself can be liable in a lawsuit pertaining to medical malpractice. Hospitals are required to evaluate prospective employees, including their certifications, level of education, and past experience. A hospital might be liable for any injuries incurred due to an incompetent or underqualified staff member.

Hospitals are also responsible for keeping track of patient records and giving patients proper care by appropriately staffing the hospital so that employees are not tasked with more than can reasonably be expected. A medical malpractice lawsuit may be brought about if these standards and others are not met.

Hospitals as well can be held partially liable if a staff member or employee causes injury to a patient while performing within the scope of their employment when the negligent act happened. This being said, vicarious liability is not assumed when the negligent actions are of an independent contractor. Many doctors are not employees of a hospital, rather they are employed as freelancers while they run their own private practices. The exception to this is when a freelanced doctor causes any injuries due to lack of requisite experience or credentials, then the hospital may be liable.

Anesthesia Errors

There are four main categories for anesthesia that each has its own distinct purposes.

• General: General anesthesia renders the patient unconscious and unaware of sensations. The patient does not feel any pain or remember the procedure.
• Regional: Regional anesthesia numbs a specific body part, such as an arm or a leg.
• Local: Local anesthesia will numb only a small area of the body such as to relieve a patient’s pain while a deep cut is stitched.
• Sedation: Sedation is induced by medications, usually through an IV, to make a patient feel relaxed and drowsy. Different operations, alongside patient preference, may require different levels of sedation. Mild sedation allows the patient to stay awake and responsive to questions or instructions. Moderate sedation may cause the patient to doze off but be easily awoken. Deep sedation is closely related to general anesthesia in that the patient is deeply asleep but with the ability to breathe on their own.

Each type of anesthesia has the risk for complications. One serious complication, and one of the most common, is anesthesia awareness (intraoperative awareness) which occurs when a patient regains consciousness during surgery.

If injury results due to the incorrect usage of anesthesia by a negligent medical professional, they may be liable for any damages that result. Examples of anesthetic negligence include:

• Administering an incorrect type of anesthesia
• Administering an incorrect dose of anesthesia
• Administering anesthesia too late
• Failure to put a patient under anesthesia
• Failure to manage the proper administration of fluids and medications

More examples of Medical Malpractice

Among the medical malpractice issues listed above, these are just a few of the many different types of malpractice. Many other examples of medical malpractice can include:

• Neglecting a patient
• Failure to adhere to hospital protocols
• Neglect of informing a patient of the
• instructions regarding a procedure
• Refusing to offer proper treatment
• Performing non-consensual surgery
• Administering a drug to a patient who is allergic
• Administering drugs that do not interact positively together
• Failure to intubate
• Neglecting to monitor or act on changes in vital signs