When a medical professional fails in his or her professional duties, and the patient sustains injury due to this failure, that patient may have recourse to sue to recover his or her losses.
Medical malpractice can be difficult to establish, as it requires an understanding of medicine and of medical practices, so that a standard of care can be established. Medicine is a complicated field, and at times, even the best of care can end up causing injury. To establish medical malpractice, the case must show that the medical professional tasked with providing care was incompetent or negligent in doing so.
Some of the common types of medical malpractice cases our Alabama medical malpractice lawyers handle are:
Most Frequently Asked Question: Medical Malpractice
I want to sue my doctor for medical malpractice. What is involved in doing that?
Medical malpractice cases are probably the most difficult and most expensive cases we handle. Even if you have all of the facts on your side, they are still extremely difficult to win. For those reasons, we have a very rigorous screening process for these cases. Generally, unless a person has suffered a very severe injury, such as paralysis or loss of limb, or wrongful death, we do not take these cases.
Because we work strictly on a contingency basis, we will never charge you fees if you do not recover damages.
Birth Injury
Expecting a new child is both one of the happiest and one of the most stressful times in our lives. There are preparations at home, constant communication with family members and friends who share in your anticipation. In addition, it’s also one of the times when we are most fully under the care of your doctor. During pregnancy, a woman is scheduled for appointments with her obstetrician every month at first, then every two weeks, and then weekly until the baby is born. This allows the mother and baby the opportunity for the best possible health care, but it also exposes them to a greater risk of medical malpractice.
Causes of Birth Injury
During the birth process, the obstetrician and nurses will seek to control every variable to make sure your baby is born healthy. Modern technology allows a high degree of intervention and encourages this kind of control, which is stressful for the mother, father, and child. The degree of control also puts high stress on the doctor and nurses, who sometimes lose track of an important variable that can turn a healthy baby and mother into serious injuries for one or both of them.
Some of the more common mistakes made by doctors and nurses during pregnancy and birth include:
- Prescribing dangerous or inappropriate medication for the mother during pregnancy or nursing
- Misdiagnosis or late diagnosis of threats to the mother’s or baby’s health, including:
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Abruptio placenta
- Eclampsia
- Prenatal asphyxia
- Infection or serious viral illness
- High blood pressure
- Allowing delivery to take too long can lead to brain damage or cerebral palsy
- Applying too much pressure to the baby’s head, shoulder, or neck during delivery, leading to Erb’s palsy or cerebral palsy
- Failing to closely monitor a baby’s health after a traumatic birth
Any of the above can lead to paralysis, severe injuries or even the wrongful death of the mother and child. Please see our Birth Injury Questions page for more information.
Any Other Questions?
If you have questions about your case that are not answered here, call our Alabama medical malpractice lawyers at (251) 432-2277 to schedule your free consultation. They can answer all of your questions personally.
