One of the most dreaded calls a doctor can get begins with “You’ve been named in a malpractice lawsuit.”
Unfortunately, medical practice is not perfect. And recent surveys have shown that between 75 and 99 percent of practicing doctors will be hit with a medical malpractice suit in their careers. And in those cases where medical malpractice takes place, there really are no winners.
Medical malpractice lawsuits have been around for over 150 years. The average damages awarded in a medical malpractice lawsuit is between $310,000 (without errors) and $520,00 (with errors). With between 15,000 and 19,000 medical malpractice cases each year, it is good to keep yourself educated on what happens during a medical malpractice suit. Although a large majority of claims never result in any kind of payment to patients, $55 billion is awarded yearly in medical malpractice suits
Beyond monetary implications, multiple medical malpractice lawsuits can mean revoked medical licenses, ruining your chance of making a living. So, when you are required to defend yourself, you will need the right lawyer. An experienced law firm with the right knowledge and expertise can make the difference in a medical malpractice case.
Even in cases where a mistake was made, it isn’t guaranteed that a lawsuit is won or lost. They must be able to prove damages to win. If they can prove damages, they can claim for present and future medical expenses, lost wages, reduced quality of life, and pain/suffering. More often than not, the amounts awarded for pain and suffering and other psychological damages will actually exceed damages rewarded for physical damages.
The following are just a few of the most common medical malpractice accusations:
- Failure to diagnose
- Misdiagnosis
- Surgical procedures
- Medication errors
- Post-operative complications
- Pathological interpretation
Most cases are settled out of court and it is important to get the right information beforehand to help educate yourself in the future against an unexpected malpractice lawsuit.
Our Reputation
Our law firm is recognized across Wisconsin for our aggressive and innovative representation of health care professionals and organizations. Our expertise is sought by risk managers, attorneys, judges, health care professionals and organizations alike for our in-depth knowledge of Wisconsin’s unique medical malpractice laws. We’ve defended medical malpractice in a variety of settings, including positive handling of constitutional challenges before the Supreme Court, so we can back up our knowledge with success.
Hire an Attorney Today
We want to offer you our medical malpractice expertise so you can continue providing quality health care to the people in our community who need it. At Gutglass, Erickson, Bonville & Larson S.C. our experienced attorneys will defend you in medical malpractice cases that include misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose, surgical procedures, medication errors, post-operative complications, pathological interpretation, and any other medical malpractice related litigation you may be faced with.
