Colorado Springs Medical Malpractice Attorney
Representing Victims of Medical Negligence Throughout Colorado
Patients trust their doctors to provide them with adequate care. Unfortunately, doctors and healthcare providers can break that trust by deviating from medical regulations and the accepted standard of care. Patients who are injured because of the negligence of a medical professional can bring medical malpractice lawsuits to recover compensation for their injuries.
If you or a loved one has been hurt as a result of a doctor's negligence, you may have grounds to sue for malpractice. A Colorado Springs medical malpractice lawyer at Clawson & Clawson, LLP can fight for your rights in the event of an avoidable medical injury. Our award-winning attorneys are ready to provide the support you need.
Call us at (719) 602-5888 or fill out an online form today to set up a free consultation with a malpractice lawyer.
Common Types of Medical Malpractice
According to statistics, about 200,000 people are victims of wrongful death in the U.S. every year because of medical negligence, and many others suffer serious and even catastrophic injuries that affect them for the rest of their lives.
Some of the most common types of medical malpractice include:
- Birth Injuries- Injuries to infants and mothers during the process of labor and delivery are classified as birth injuries. These injuries can result from traumatic as well as low-risk births and are typically caused by either traumatic events or hypoxia (lack of adequate oxygen to the brain).
- Emergency Room Errors - Immediate and accurate medical attention is vital in emergency rooms. Sadly, many patients suffer further injury/illness because of long wait times, bacteria, nurse/doctor miscommunication and more.
- Diagnostic Errors - Misdiagnosis and failure to diagnose account for the majority of medical malpractice lawsuits in the United States. Without an accurate diagnosis, a patient cannot receive vital treatments and medication.
- Medication Errors - The incorrect type or dosage of a prescription medication can lead to serious and even fatal medical events. Thorough patient counseling is necessary to learn of any patient medication allergies as well as to ascertain an appropriate dosage.
- Never Events - The National Quality Forum now recognizes 29 events on the list of "never events." These are medical errors and negligence that are inexcusable and should never occur. An example of a never event is performing surgery on the wrong patient.
- Surgical Errors - Leaving a medical instrument inside a patient and operating on the wrong body part may seem extremely rare, but there are a growing number of patients who are injured and even killed by these surgical errors annually.
Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
The statute of limitations for filing medical malpractice lawsuits is two years after the date of the injury (or the date that the injury was discovered). The victim of the malpractice, or possibly a family member, is the plaintiff in these types of lawsuits while the defendant can be a doctor, a healthcare facility, a pharmacist or other healthcare professional.
In order to prove a successful medical malpractice lawsuit, the plaintiff and their attorney must establish that:
- There was an established patient-doctor relationship and a duty of care;
- There was a failure to provide an acceptable standard of care;
- Injury to the patient resulted from this breach of care; and
- The patient sustained actual physical, emotional and/or financial damages as a result.
Hiring an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Is Essential
Adverse medical events are devastating, especially when the victims and their families know that they were preventable. Doctors and others in the medical industry can make life-altering mistakes because of carelessness, poor communication, lack of adherence to regulations and overconfidence.
If you or someone you love became the victim of this type of negligence, be sure to contact a medical malpractice lawyer from Clawson & Clawson, LLP today. Our Colorado Springs personal injury attorneys have more than 100 years of collective experience we can utilize in composing a strong and compelling case for you.
To learn more about how our firm can fight for your financial recovery, schedule an initial case review today!