Columbia Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you or a loved one were injured by a surgeon, nurse, anesthesia, or other healthcare professional’s negligent actions, you have the option of pursuing compensation by filing a medical malpractice claim with the defendant’s insurance carrier. No one deserves to suffer at the hands of a medical professional, and we understand that financial compensation is only part of your recovery process. Our Columbia medical malpractice attorney at the Marc Brown Law Firm is here to help you get through this traumatic situation and move on with your life as best as you can.
Common Examples of Medical Malpractice
- Failure to diagnose or late diagnosis
- Misdiagnosis
- Misinterpreting diagnostic results
- Anesthesia errors
- Surgical errors
- Unnecessary surgery
- Birth injuries
- Premature discharge from a hospital
- Negligent follow-up care
- Prescription medication errors
Proving the Standard of Care Was Violated
Medical mistakes made in U.S. hospitals account for untold numbers of lost lives. Some recent studies suggest that medical errors are one of the leading causes of death in America. Patients are even more likely to suffer injuries, illness, and delayed recovery due to medical negligence. However, many of these mistakes go un-penalized, as patients and their families are almost always kept in the dark about what really happened if an error occurred. In order to prove that malpractice occurred, the first step is hiring an attorney. Your attorney’s job involves gathering evidence about the damages you sustained (including medical expenses, pain and suffering, etc.), as well as establishing the following:
- The existence of a doctor-patient relationship (or a relationship between another healthcare provider such as a hospital, nurse, or P.A.).
- The doctor was negligent and deviated from the medical standard of care.
- The doctor’s negligence caused injury.
- The injury caused damages/losses.
Damages in a Columbia Medical Malpractice Claim
As a plaintiff, you have the ability to seek financial compensation for the following types of damages caused by medical malpractice:
- Medical expenses
- Ongoing and future medical expenses
- Lost income
- Lost earning ability due to disability
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of joy of life
- Emotional distress
- Other expenses, such as childcare, housekeeping expenses, and travel expenses to/from healthcare facilities
If the victim lost their life due to medical negligence, the victim’s family can also seek the additional damages:
- Loss of consortium (companionship)
- Lost lifetime earnings of the victim
- Loss of joy of life and emotional distress (of the loved one)
- Funeral and burial expenses
Currently, South Carolina has a medical malpractice cap on non-economic damages equating to roughly half a million dollars. As such, it may not be possible to seek compensation greater than this for pain and suffering, loss of joy of life, loss of consortium, etc.
Reach Out to an Experienced Columbia Medical Malpractice Attorney
We trust healthcare professionals to uphold a very specific standard of care when it comes to treating us. If that standard of care is violated due to any type of error or mistake, leading to injury, the victim is fully entitled to compensation. Call the Marc Brown Law Firm at (803) 848-0008 to schedule a free consultation with a Columbia medical malpractice attorney today.
