Are You Suffering Due to a Medical Mistake? Call to Speak with a Tallahassee Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today

No one expects their doctor to make a mistake. No one expects the hospital or clinic where they seek help to mix up their records or make other administrative errors that result in the delivery of improper treatment. Yet, these types of mistakes are alarmingly common, and many patients and parents find themselves in need of legal representation. Each Tallahassee medical malpractice lawyer at our firm knows this all too well.

If you believe that your medical condition was not timely diagnosed, if you received the wrong medication, if your child suffered a birth injury, or if you have any other reason to believe that you or a loved one is a victim of medical malpractice, it is important that you speak with an attorney promptly. At Searcy Denney, our personal injury practice handle medical malpractice claims against health care providers throughout Florida and Georgia. We have decades of experience helping individuals and families recover their losses; and, if you are entitled to compensation for medical malpractice, we can make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorneys in Tallahassee

As a result of our Tallahassee medical malpractice lawyer’s extensive experience, we have successfully represented clients in cases involving virtually all types of medical mistakes. This includes securing just compensation on behalf of individuals and families in cases involving:

Birth Injuries

Birth injuries can result from medical mistakes during pre-pregnancy planning, pregnancy, labor and delivery. Errors in neonatal care can cause, and potentially exacerbate, various types of injuries and illnesses as well. We handle cases involving all types of birth injuries, including (but by no means limited to) cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, anoxia, hypoxia, shoulder dystocia, bone fractures and spinal cord trauma.

Medication Errors

Medication errors  can range from overdosing and underdosing patients with prescribed medications to administering one patient’s medications to another. We handle cases involving inpatient and outpatient medication errors, including anesthesia errors during surgery.

Misdiagnoses

Misdiagnoses are the most-common form of medical malpractice. This includes failure to diagnose, delayed diagnosis and providing an incorrect diagnosis. Our attorneys have successfully represented clients in cases involving misdiagnoses of cancers, traumatic injuries, birth injuries and numerous other medical conditions.

Other Forms of Medical Malpractice

In the health care setting, all types of mistakes have the potential to lead to devastating consequences for patients and their families. In addition to cases involving birth injuries, medication errors and misdiagnoses, we also represent clients in cases involving:

•       Blood transfusion errors
•       Cardiology malpractice
•       Emergency room negligence
•       Hospital administration errors
•       Radiology malpractice
•       Surgical mistakes

Surgical Errors Experienced by Tallahassee Patients

Much like medical misdiagnosis and medication mistakes, surgical errors happen more often than many people realize, and the consequences can be severe. Below are some examples of common mistakes made during surgical procedures: 

• Anesthesia errors: Too little anesthesia can make your surgery an incredibly painful and harrowing experience. However, too much anesthesia can deprive the brain of the oxygen it needs, resulting in brain damage or even death.
• Slip-of-the-hand errors: Surgeons have to be extremely careful and have a steady hand while performing surgery. The smallest slip of the hand can result in nerve damage, severed veins or arteries, or punctured organs.  
• Performing the wrong procedure: Due to administrative errors, the surgeon winds up performing the incorrect procedure during your surgery. 
• Operating in the wrong site: The surgeon performs the correct surgery but at the wrong site. For example, they may operate on the wrong limb or wrong organ. It may seem difficult to believe, but this happens more often than people think. 
• Foreign objects: These are cases where the surgical team leaves medical instruments or other items inside the body, such as pads, sponges, clamps, or scalpels. 

Many other errors can occur, but these are the most common. Regardless, if something seems wrong following your surgery, you should speak with an experienced Tallahassee medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible. 

Our Tallahassee Medical Malpractice Lawyer Outlines the Causes  of Surgical Errors

It requires extensive schooling and training to become a surgeon, which is why it is so shocking that surgical errors still happen. Even though surgeons are some of the most highly-trained people in the medical profession, the following can still lead to mistakes: 

• Fatigue: Surgeons often have burdensome workloads and can be required to work long shifts. They can make mistakes simply because they are too tired to be performing surgery. 
• Substance abuse: Doctors have a high incidence of abusing drugs and alcohol, and unfortunately, surgeons with substance abuse problems may be operating while under the influence. Just like anything else, mistakes can easily happen if the surgeon is working while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 
• Lack of training or experience: Surgeons can’t know everything, especially early on in their careers. The fact that they are qualified surgeons doesn’t mean that they have the training or experience they need to perform a particular procedure. Many surgical errors arise from surgeons performing operations without proper training or experience. 
• Lack of preparation. Surgery requires extensive preparation, but doctors and staff will often cut corners when it comes to adequate preparation. Errors often occur when doctors and staff fail to prepare adequately, resulting in missing equipment or materials that are needed in critical moments.  
• Administrative errors. Performing the wrong procedure or operating on the wrong part of the body is often the result of administrative errors. Patient misidentification, scheduling errors, or missing records can result in a wide variety of surgical errors. 

It is incredibly difficult for non-lawyers to sort out what happened during your surgery and determine whether it constitutes medical malpractice. If you’ve suffered as a result of a surgical error, you should contact a Tallahassee medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible. 

FAQs: Seeking Compensation with the Help of a Tallahassee Medical Malpractice Lawyer

How Do I Know if I Have a Claim for Medical Malpractice?

As a patient, parent or other family member, there is no easy way to know if you have a claim for medical malpractice. A doctor’s or other health care provider’s mistake only constitutes medical malpractice if it represents a deviation from the requisite standard of care.

To find out if you have a claim, you will need to speak with a Tallahassee medical malpractice lawyer. At Searcy Denney, we have several medical malpractice lawyers who have decades of experience representing patients and families in Florida. Our lawyers will carefully evaluate your case, and we will let you know if we believe we can recover just compensation on your behalf.

How Long Do I Have to File a Medical Malpractice Claim in Florida?

Florida has a two-year statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims. This “limitations period” runs from the date that you learned—or reasonably should have learned—about your health care provider’s mistake.

Florida also has what is known as a “statute of repose” for medical malpractice claims. Under this statute, you only have four years to file a claim regardless of when you discover your health care provider’s malpractice. However, there are some exceptions, and we encourage you to schedule a free consultation at Searcy Denney regardless of how long it has been since you or your loved one received substandard care.

Is There a Limit on How Much I Can Recover?

No, there is not currently a limit on how much patients and families can recover in medical malpractice claims in Florida. While Florida has a statutory cap on medical malpractice damages, the Florida Supreme Court has ruled that this cap is unconstitutional—and therefore unenforceable. As a result, the amount you can recover in your medical malpractice case will be determined exclusively by the financial and non-financial costs of your health care provider’s mistake.

What Can a Tallahassee Medical Malpractice Lawyer Do To Help Me?

There are several ways a medical malpractice lawyer can help you if you or a loved one has received substandard care in a Tallahassee medical facility. For example, when you contact Searcy Denney, our team will:

• Determine if you have a claim for medical malpractice
• Determine how much you are entitled to recover
• Gather your medical records and the other documentation we need to prove your claim
• Hire a medical expert to explain why your provider’s mistake rises to the level of malpractice
• File a claim with your health care provider’s medical malpractice insurance company
• Negotiate for a favorable settlement on your behalf
• Help you make informed decisions about settlement and take your case to court if necessary

Is It Expensive to File a Medical Malpractice Claim?

Filing a medical malpractice claim in Tallahassee can be expensive. However, at Searcy Denney we cover all of the costs of our clients’ claims while they are pending. We will only take your case if we believe we can help you take home financial compensation, and we will only bill for our fees and costs if we help you secure a settlement or verdict.

Schedule a Free Initial Consultation with a Tallahassee Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If you have questions about the quality of medical care you or a loved one received in Florida or Georgia, or if you would like more information about pursuing a claim for medical malpractice, we encourage you to contact us for a free initial consultation. To speak with a Tallahassee medical malpractice lawyer in our office as soon as possible, please call 800-780-8607 or request an appointment online today.