Everyday numerous New Haven residents visit some form of a medical office. Whether it is the emergency room or the chiropractor, many people visit these offices throughout their life. When individuals go to the doctor, they trust that the medical staff knows what they are doing. It is also expected that doctors should properly diagnose patients. The wrong diagnosis can cause severe, if not worse, problems down the road. Many patients will often get a second opinion for their operations in order to avoid medical malpractice.

Not too long ago, a woman went into the doctor’s office for a physical and left with “terminal cancer,” but really she was only suffering from pneumonia. The wrong diagnosis caused the woman to go into a coma, and, eventually, resulted in the amputation of her left foot. She sued her physician for medical malpractice damages, including medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and changes to her lifestyle. The jury eventually awarded $813,000 to the woman for her loss.

Mistakes are made in just about every profession, but, when they are made in the medical field, they can be deadly or life-long. Any time a medical professional is negligent in their duties, they are responsible for the injuries or death they cause. In order to prove that a medical professional was negligent, an individual must show that the doctor used a below standard of medical care while performing their duties. This could be anything from forgetting to sterilize a needle to failure to diagnose.

Individuals that have suffered an injury from the negligence of a medical professional may be compensated. Through a medical malpractice lawsuit, victims of malpractice can receive the compensation they need to get back to some semblance of normalcy.

Source: The Oregonian, “Spokane woman awarded $813,000 in medical malpractice lawsuit,” March 29, 2013.