The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Following Cancer and heart disease, medical malpractice accounts for the loss of 251,000 lives every year. Hundreds of thousands more suffer serious injury with life-long complications at the hands of negligent healthcare providers.
Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, nurse, or healthcare professional acts in a manner that is inconsistent with accepted standards of care and, as a result, injures or kills a patient. Some of the most common types of medical malpractice in Atlanta are:
- Birth injuries such as cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, and NICU errors
- Surgical errors including wrong-site surgery, contamination and infection, and leaving foreign objects in a patient’s body
- Failure to diagnose cancer, meningitis, or another deadly disease or disorder
- Anesthesia and medication errors such as improper dosage and the administration of the wrong type of medication
Anyone who provides medical services or is involved in patient care can be guilty of medical malpractice. This includes doctors, surgeons, anesthesiologists, attending medical staff, and non-medical support staff at hospitals and doctors’ offices.
In some cases, medical malpractice claims will extend to include administrators, medical supply companies, and others who may contribute, however slightly, to patient harm. Each of these entities will have experienced legal counsel as soon as a claim is filed. Each of these entities will have aggressive insurance adjusters working to coerce you into settling for less than you are due. The best way to protect yourself and your interests is with the help of a dedicated Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer.
HOW OUR MEDICAL MALPRACTICE TEAM CAN HELP
The medical malpractice lawyers at Chance, Forlines, Carter & King know how to investigate claims of medical negligence to identify all liable parties – and we have had tremendous success holding medical professionals who harm patients accountable for their actions.
We work with trusted and recognized medical experts to comb through patient records, analyzing every entry for signs of what went wrong. During this process, we stand firmly by our clients, protecting them from the tactics employed by insurance adjusters and defendants’ attorneys to help ensure fair treatment and full compensation. We are prepared to take medical malpractice cases as far as needed to secure a settlement that actually takes into account all of the damages suffered by the patient.
Our medical malpractice team works for full compensation. This may include:
- All related medical expenses
- Current and projected future lost wages
- Home and lifestyle changes
- Physical pain
- Emotional suffering
Even when an insurance settlement seems significant, it will not include compensation for pain and suffering and will likely be insufficient for covering all related expenses. Before you accept an offer from insurance, talk to one of our Atlanta medical malpractice lawyers to see if you may be entitled to a more substantial award.
For a free consultation at our Atlanta office, please call 404-760-7400 today. The medical malpractice lawyers at Chance, Forlines, Carter & King serve Augusta, Savannah, Decatur, and all surrounding areas of Georgia.