When visiting a hospital, sometimes the difference between getting better and suffering a serious medical episode hinges on whether or not the doctor orders the appropriate medical testing. Patients expect to receive timely and competent medical treatment from physicians able to deliver a proper standard of care.
If patients suffer harm because their doctor failed to order necessary testing, victims have the legal right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit to recover compensation for the damages endured and hold wrongdoers accountable. At The Cochran Firm, our medical malpractice attorneys understand what it takes to get justice and maximize compensation.
Doctors failing to order necessary medical testing is the leading diagnostic error, according to one organization studying almost 200 alleged cases of negligence. As reported by the periodical, over half of medical malpractice cases examined happened simply because doctors did not send patients’ on for further testing.
Furthermore, the study identified four main breakdown points where medical malpractice was likely to occur. While not all medical mistakes constitute malpractice, the events considered in the referenced article were “closed cases” of malpractice, according to the authors.
Every medical malpractice case is different and includes its own unique circumstances but researchers have identified certain commonalities in events studied. Some research indicates multiple breakdowns in treatment can lead to medical malpractice, including a missed diagnosis from failure to order appropriate testing.
Circumstances identified with medical malpractice claims included:
According to law, doctors must perform their duties consistent with what the medically accepted standard of care would dictate. Under this doctrine, doctors need to administer care consistent with what another physician in the same field of expertise would render in a similar situation.
If a doctor neglected to order appropriate medical testing because he or she overlooked important symptoms another doctor would likely have noticed, there is a strong chance the patient may have a medical malpractice claim. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer should help victims by consulting with medical experts able to explain what medical standards would call for in situations like those.
Victims considering a medical malpractice lawsuit often wonder how “much is my case worth?”when deciding whether or not to follow through. Although each case is different and exact estimations are difficult to come up with, the law holds patients can recover compensation for several different types of damages.
Types of damages in medical malpractice lawsuits:
The value of a case depends on all these factors, and more. While medical bills, lost wages, and other economic damages are relatively easy to calculate, noneconomic damages for subjective damages like pain and suffering are often the subject of intense litigation.
Tort laws allow plaintiffs to file civil lawsuits against defendants responsible for injuries caused by negligence. While the law expects wrongdoers to take responsibility and compensate victims for the harm suffered, many defendants attempt to skirt liability by delaying and denying claims.
Costs of filing injury claims include expenses for:
Fortunately, the right medical malpractice law firm has access to these resources and can bear the financial burden to prosecute these and other personal injury claims.
If you or a loved one suffered a serious medical episode because doctors failed to order the needed medical testing, contact our medical malpractice law firm in Washington, DC to discuss your case with an attorney. The DC medical malpractice lawyers of The Cochran Firm offer free legal consultations and do not charge any upfront costs to file lawsuits on behalf of clients.
Furthermore, since our negligence attorneys work on a contingency basis, we do not collect any money until we win your case. Call our toll-free number anytime to speak to someone about your case and get the justice and compensation your deserve.
