Here Are Tips on Medical Malpractice and How to Handle It

By John Bramlet
Everyone has heard the story of the person that came home from having surgery only to pass away mysteriously. When the autopsy was performed a scalpel or forceps were found to be mistakenly sown up inside the patient. Medical malpractice doesn't have to be that extreme or result in death. It is simply defined as any error on the doctor's part that adds to your pain and suffering. By that definition the stethoscope that they keep at sub-zero temperatures before using on you would be bordering on malpractice.

The statistics on medical malpractice are misleading because studies show that it only happens in less than 1% of patients. That seems like it is within tolerable limits doesn't it? Not when you do the math and find out that it translates to over 200,000 injuries and over 98,000 deaths per year due to medical malpractice. I am not saying that doctors are monsters and do not care about their patients. In fact it is more due to workload than anything else. Surveys show that 25% of hospital residents spend over 75 hours per week on call. Even after residency is finished many surgeons admit to being on call over 70 hours per week. Now think about how tired you are after a forty hour work week, then double that and put peoples lives on the line. The numbers are actually even worse than that in private practices like your family doctor. It is no surprise that mistakes happen but that doesn't mean that the victims should not be compensated for it.

If you believe that your doctor has hurt you or misdiagnosed your condition then you should contact a personal injury lawyer. A general practice attorney will not have the skills that you need. A personal injury attorney will have the training necessary to gain access to your medical records from the hospital. They will also work closely with medical experts that are able to look over the doctors actions and give an impartial opinion about what was done. Often times the expert will be needed to do further research or ask questions of a technical nature to get to the truth of the claims. Once you start the ball rolling, you can sit back and heal while your attorney works on your behalf. In most cases the longer it drags on the better it is for you because the hospital or doctor will settle out of court just to make the case go away. If you are a victim of medical malpractice then don't delay, contact an attorney today.