A recent article revealed that the incidence of medical malpractice continues to sky rocket, despite efforts to improve safety. Much of this includes preventable medical mistakes such as wrong site surgeries and prescription errors. However, many lay people have questions concerning what consitutes medical malpractice, and what actions they should take if they believe that they (or a family member) has been harmed by medical negligence.
Generally, medical malpractice occurs when a health care professional - such as a doctor, nurse or other medical staff fails to act in accordance with the requiste standard of care, and a patient suffers harm as a result. The standard of care is the level or degree of care expected of the health care professional. This is typically established by expert testimony from a peer who practices in the same field. If the failure to act properly leads to an injury, then the practitioner or hosptial who acted recklessly or negligently may be found liable and held responsible for damages.
If you believe that you may have been harmed by medical malpractice, the first step is to contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer who can begin an investigation into your medical care. This includes requesting medical records, and having an expert review them for potential missteps.
Medical malpractice cases are often complex, however a skilled Los Angeles medical negligence attorney can help provide your family the answers it deserves, and where you have been harmed by reckless conduct, obtain compensation for your injuries.
Please contact our dedicated Los Angeles medical malpractice team at Bostwick and Peterson for additional information.
