Connecticut Medical Malpractice Attorney
What constitutes professional negligence?
When a patient puts their trust in the hands of medical professional, they should not have to worry that they will receive an inadequate level of care. Unfortunately, instances of medical malpractice continue to occur at an unsettling rate across the country. Recent statistics show that nearly 195,000 patients are killed by preventable medical errors each year in the U.S.—12,000 of these deaths resulting from unnecessary surgery and another 106,000 being caused by the adverse side effects of medication. Shockingly enough, however, only an average of 19,000 medical malpractice lawsuits are filed as a result. One of the reasons why there may be such a discrepancy in these numbers is because many of the patients that have been negligently injured are not sure of whether or not they have a valid case to pursue.
If you have found yourself in a similar situation, it is important to understand what constitutes an act of malpractice. First and foremost, is must be shown that a healthcare professional owed a duty of care to the injured individual—meaning that they had a responsibility to treat the patient and provide them with a standard level of care. This should not be taken to mean that every doctor has a duty to cure or even successfully treat a patient, but that they are required to act in a way that is considered acceptable within the medical community. To prove that a professional had acted negligently, one must be able to show that the doctor had failed to provide them with a reasonable level of care, and finally, that they have suffered an injury that was caused by this substandard conduct. Some of the most common occurrences of medical malpractice include:
- Emergency room errors
- Failure to diagnose in a timely manner
- Misdiagnosis
- Lack of adequate treatment
- Surgical mistakes
- Psychiatric malpractice
- Nursing home negligence
- Failing to supervise an inexperienced doctor
- Medication & dosage errors
How long do I have to file a lawsuit?
Each state in the U.S. maintains different negligence laws. As such, it is important to understand that the statute of limitations that exist for personal injury cases may differ from state to state. In Connecticut,
a medical malpractice lawsuit must be filed within two years of the date that the incident occurred. Unlike most other states, this time limitation will not be extended for injured minors, but certain exceptions can be made if the injury was not discovered right away. If a victim of medical negligence does not discover that they have been injured before the time limitations expire—as is common in instances of surgical errors—they may still file a lawsuit up to three years after the act was committed. To make sure that you receive the compensation that you deserve, it is best to consult a
Connecticut personal injury attorney right away. Otherwise, you may miss your window of opportunity to pursue legal action.
Recovering the Compensation that You Deserve
One of the most common types of medical malpractice is misdiagnosis. When a doctor fails to properly diagnose what a patient is suffering from, this will also affect the treatment. Their condition will either remain the same and valuable time will be lost or the erroneous treatment could actually make the patient worse. One survey from the National Patient Safety Foundation stated that 40% of those who suffered from medical malpractice were victims of misdiagnosis. Another common form of medical malpractice is birth injuries. During labor and delivery, there are several complications which can develop. If they are not caught quickly enough or are misdiagnosed, the mother or child could be left with permanent injuries. Common types of birth injuries include cerebral palsy, Erb's paly, brachial plexus injuries, and elevated levels of bilirubin. For more information on the types of medical malpractice or if you have any questions, please contact our team as soon as possible.
If you have become the victim of a healthcare professional's negligent actions, you should not hesitate to follow up with a medical malpractice lawsuit. Sustaining an unnecessary injury may have left you with additional medical bills and the inability to return to work, and for this reason, it is important not to face these expenses alone. With the help of a Connecticut personal injury attorney from McCoy & McCoy, you can pursue the compensation, and the justice, that you deserve. It is up to you, however, to take the first step in initiating the process. Even if you are unsure of whether or not you have a valid case to make, we prompt you to fill out and submit a free case evaluation to a Connecticut personal injury lawyer at our firm or to call us directly for further information. Take action against medical negligence today by claiming the compensation that you are owed.