Medical mistakes are surprisingly common in the U.S. They’re the third most common cause of death after cancer and heart disease, causing over 250,000 deaths each year. If you or someone you love has been hurt by a medical mistake, our experienced Cincinnati medical malpractice lawyers can help you fight for justice. At the Slater & Zurz law firm, we’re dedicated to ensuring careless doctors or hospitals are held responsible, and we work hard to get you as much money as possible for your injuries.
Sometimes, you might need to go to court to get all the money you deserve. Our Cincinnati medical malpractice lawyers are experienced in trials and will show all the evidence needed to prove that the other side was careless and should pay for your damages.
Types of Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice occurs when a patient is harmed by a doctor or other health care professional who fails to provide proper medical care. Medical negligence takes many forms, such as:
- Surgical mistakes
- Birth injuries
- Errors in the emergency room
- Wrong medicine or dosage
- Not taking care of patients
- Hospital mistakes
- Problems with radiation treatment
- Not getting the right patient information
- Mistakes in plastic surgery
- Anesthesia errors
- Wrong diagnosis or delayed diagnosis
- Not treating a condition or delaying treatment
Surgical Errors
Proving that a doctor or hospital was negligent is complex. You have to show that the doctor has a duty to take care of you. They didn’t meet this duty; their mistake directly caused your injury, and you suffered damages because of it. Our medical malpractice injury attorney will help you every step of the way, like:
- Getting to know you and your case
- Answering your questions
- Keeping you updated
- Collecting evidence
- Showing your past and future losses
- Talking to insurance companies and lawyers for you
- Negotiating hard for you
- Representing you in court if needed
Speak with our medical attorney in Cincinnati, Ohio. Call (513)496-3331.
Medication Errors
Receiving the wrong dosage of medication, or receiving the wrong medication entirely, puts a patient at serious risk of catastrophic injury. Medication errors can occur in a variety of ways, including:
Being prescribed or given the wrong medication – When a patient is prescribed or given the wrong medication, it may fail to treat the patient’s existing condition or cause an adverse reaction that may lead to serious, sometimes permanent, injuries.
Being prescribed or given the wrong dosage – Receiving the incorrect amount of medication is a common medication error. When a doctor or pharmacist writes down the wrong number, these errors can occur when someone misreads the dosage or misplaces a decimal point. A medication error can happen easily but can harm the patient considerably.
Incorrectly administering medication – Incorrectly administering medication can lead to serious injury and can even have fatal consequences. Medications generally have precise methods in which they need to be administered. For example, a drug that needs to be injected into the muscle may mistakenly be injected into the patient’s vein, causing serious, sometimes fatal, injuries.
Receiving mislabeled medication – Mislabeled medication generally occurs at the drug manufacturer or pharmacy. If either makes a medication labeling error, it can have devastating consequences for the patient.
Proving Negligence in a Medical Malpractice Claim
Medical malpractice cases are generally complex. Doctors, hospitals, insurance companies., and lawyers aggressively defend these cases, so a patient and their lawyer must build a strong case, proving each of the following four elements:
Duty
In medical malpractice cases, duty refers to the doctor’s obligation to provide a certain standard of care to their patient. When a doctor-patient relationship exists, a duty is imposed on the doctor to treat the patient properly.
Breach
Once the doctor-patient relationship is established and the duty of care is owed to the patient, the patient’s attorney must prove the medical provider breached the duty of care. Medical records, eyewitness testimony, and testimony from expert witnesses can generally establish what the doctor did or did not do to breach the owed duty of care.
Causation
A patient and their attorney will then need to show that the medical professional’s breach of the proper standard of care directly caused the patient’s injuries. Causation is often disputed in a medical malpractice case. The defendant may admit they breached the standard of care but try to avoid responsibility for the injury by showing the injuries were caused by an element other than the breach. Again, expert witness testimony typically proves causation in these cases.
Damages
The last element needed in a successful medical malpractice claim is damages. The patient and their lawyer must show the nature and extent of the damages caused by the patient’s injuries. Accurately assessing past and future damages will ensure the patient receives full and fair compensation for their losses.
How Our Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Cincinnati Can Help You
Pursuing a medical malpractice claim may seem overwhelming, especially during your recovery. A Cincinnati medical malpractice attorney provides critical assistance during the entire process, taking the stress and frustration away so you can focus on getting better. Our skilled and compassionate injury lawyers at Slater & Zurz can help by:
- Getting to know you, your family, and every detail of your case to develop an effective, case-specific approach
- Being there to answer your questions and address your concerns
- Keep you informed of any developments in your case
- Collecting proof of liability
- Identifying and proving past and future damages to ensure maximum compensation
- Handling all communication with the insurance company and attorneys
- Negotiating aggressively on your behalf
- Skillfully representing you in court, if necessary
For additional Frequently asked questions about Medical Malpractice.
Consult with Our Cincinnati Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you believe you or a loved one suffered injuries resulting from a medical error, we strongly urge you to consult with one of our Cincinnati personal injury lawyers immediately. Our Slater & Zurz legal team is fully committed to doing everything possible to ensure you are appropriately compensated for your losses. We have been serving Cincinnati, Ohio, for over 32 years, and we will help you navigate this challenging time and fight to hold responsible parties accountable for their actions. Take the first step by contacting our office for a free, no-obligation consultation. Call (513)496-3331. We are available any time of the day, any day of the week.