Every day, people put their lives in the hands of medical professionals. When they make mistakes, it can have devastating consequences. A Seattle Malpractice Case Review can investigate, review medical records and consult experts to build a strong claim. A successful claim requires proving that the healthcare provider’s negligence directly caused harm.
Duty of Care
A Seattle medical malpractice lawyer can review your case to determine if a doctor or healthcare professional departed from the standard of care. This involves demonstrating that the defendant failed to deliver care that a competent professional would have provided under similar circumstances. This could include a failure to diagnose a condition, surgical errors, or medication mistakes.
Proving this element of a claim is difficult as it requires detailed medical evidence, expert witnesses, and a well-constructed argument connecting negligence to injury. Your attorney can help you build this case by reviewing your medical history, partnering with specialists, and constructing a timeline of events. Causation is also a key element in the case, as your Seattle medical malpractice lawyer must prove that a breach of the standard of care directly caused harm to you. This is often the most challenging aspect of a medical malpractice claim. A successful causation argument is vital for obtaining maximum compensation in your lawsuit.
Breach of Duty
The medical standard of care is an essential element in a malpractice claim. It is based on certification, education and practice requirements within the specific medical specialty. Expert testimony is necessary to explain what the medical standard of care is and how the doctor’s actions deviated from that standard.
A claimant must also show that an official doctor-patient relationship existed. For example, a guest at a party who takes a doctor’s advice that eating raw chicken cures baldness is not grounds for a medical malpractice claim because there is no official doctor-patient relationship.
Finally, a plaintiff must demonstrate that the defendant’s breach of duty directly caused injuries or harm. This is known as causation and can be difficult to prove in a malpractice case. Documenting physical injuries, losses and expenses is helpful in establishing causation. A medical malpractice attorney in Seattle can help you establish a causation link through expert testimony, documents and evidence. They will also determine the extent of your damages, including pain and suffering.
Causation
To be successful in a medical malpractice claim, it must be proven that the healthcare professional breached their duty of care and that this breach directly caused injuries or worsening of an injury. Causation is a difficult element to prove in medical malpractice claims and requires expert testimony.
A Seattle malpractice attorney will work to establish that your healthcare provider owed you a duty of care and that this professional standard of care was not met. This may involve proving that the healthcare professional’s actions or omissions deviated from what would have been expected under similar circumstances, such as failing to diagnose a condition or leaving a foreign object inside of you during surgery.
Malpractice claims are complex and require a thorough understanding of the law and medical principles. It is critical that you work with a Seattle attorney who understands how to navigate the healthcare, legal, and insurance systems to build a strong case and fight for maximum compensation.
Damages
Medical malpractice claims can be complex, as a successful case will require proving that a healthcare provider’s mistake caused injuries. Whether the mistake was a misdiagnosis, surgical error, or medication error, it must be demonstrated that the mistake was directly related to your harm and injury.
Additionally, a plaintiff must demonstrate that the error resulted in quantifiable damages. This includes direct medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses associated with your injuries and complications.
A Seattle medical malpractice attorney can help victims of negligent acts and mistakes by hospitals, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals pursue compensation for their injuries. Additionally, a lawyer can ensure that a victim’s claim is filed within the statute of limitations and that they receive the maximum compensation possible under Washington law.
Our experienced attorneys understand the complexities of Washington state law regarding medical malpractice. We have experience litigating cases against large healthcare providers and their insurers, and we are committed to pursuing justice for our clients.