Laguna Hills Medical Malpractice Lawyer

There are two primary reasons for seeking medical attention: in order to diagnose or treat a medical condition and preventative health care to make sure there are no undiagnosed asymptomatic conditions.

Regardless of whether a visit is preventative or therapeutic, no one goes to the doctor expecting that the care they receive will leave them with a worsened medical condition. According to the Civil Justice Resource Group, anywhere from 25,000 to 120,000 deaths are caused by medical malpractice every year.

If you are injured by substandard medical care, a Laguna Hills medical malpractice lawyer can work to hold accountable the physicians or health care professionals whose negligence contributed to your injury or worsened your health condition. Your odds of success increase when you work with a skilled personal injury attorney.

Defining Medical Malpractice

Doctors and health care workers are only human, and everyone makes mistakes. However, medical professionals are expected to make decisions and treat patients based on a professional standard of care. If a doctor makes a mistake that another reasonable doctor would also make given the information and resources at hand, then malpractice is not likely to have occurred.

Sometimes the best medical care available is not enough to cure a patient or prevent a condition from getting worse. A bad medical result does not necessarily mean that the patient is a victim of medical malpractice.

Rather, medical malpractice occurs when the two elements—medical error and patient harm—collide.

What is Necessary for a Malpractice Claim?

Typically, courts find that all of the following conditions must be present to support a Laguna Hills medical malpractice claim:

  • The medical professional owed a duty of care to the patient.
  • The medical professional was negligent in providing a professionally recognized standard of care.
  • The patient suffered harm.
  • The patient’s harm resulted from the medical negligence of the health care professional.

If you suffered an injury in a hospital, if you were harmed by surgery, or if a delayed diagnosis led to the worsening of your undiagnosed condition, you may be the victim of medical negligence. A free consultation with a Laguna Hills medical malpractice attorney can help determine whether or not you have a valid claim and what your options for recovery may be.

Common Types of Medical Malpractice

Becker’s Hospital Review cites a study by Diederich Healthcare, a medical malpractice insurer, in listing the top allegations made in medical malpractice claims:

How Common Are Diagnostic Mistakes?

Diagnosis mistakes made up approximately one-third of all medical malpractice claims in 2012, says Becker’s Hospital Review. Diagnostic malpractice claims often involve delayed diagnosis of serious medical conditions, including cancer and heart attack. These mistakes can also be grounds for an malpractice claim, and should be discussed with a Laguna Hills medical malpractice lawyer.

Retain the Services of a Laguna Hills Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you think your worsened medical condition is the result of medical negligence, discuss your case with a malpractice attorney in Laguna Hills. Your initial visit is free and confidential; you have nothing to lose. Call today for help.