DeRidder Medical Malpractice Lawyer

DeRidder Medical Malpractice Attorney

Healthcare professionals, like doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, provide a valuable and essential service to every community. They also have a high level of responsibility in their daily work, which most providers take seriously.

Unfortunately, some healthcare providers are negligent and careless, and this can result in injury, illness, and death to patients. When medical professionals fail to uphold the professional standard, a DeRidder medical malpractice lawyer can hold them legally liable for damages.

If you were injured because your provider was careless or negligent, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim. These claims are one of the most complicated forms of personal injury claim, as there are extra legal protections for medical professionals in Louisiana.

These claims are also complicated, as it is often difficult to prove negligence and gather the necessary medical documentation for evidence. If you may have a medical malpractice claim, you need a DeRidder medical malpractice lawyer.

Investigating Medical Malpractice Claims in DeRidder

The Law Offices of R. Scott Iles can review your situation to determine:

• If you have a medical malpractice claim
• The likelihood of the claim’s success
• The damages that may be available

Our firm has more than 30 years of experience in personal injury claims, and we have had significant experience and success with medical malpractice claims.

The medical, financial, and emotional consequences of medical malpractice can be devastating. When a provider fails to uphold their duty of care to you, you deserve compensation for medical bills, lost income, emotional damage, physical suffering, and other damages from the injury or illness.

Our team provides you with the care and representation you need during this difficult time. We can investigate the incident and handle the negotiations to get the compensation you need.

What Is Considered Medical Malpractice in Louisiana?

Not all injuries or mistakes by medical professionals are considered medical malpractice. You may receive a misdiagnosis or an improper treatment.

However, if the diagnosis or treatment is how other medical professionals would have handled your medical care with the given information, this is not malpractice. Providers are held to a medical professional standard based on what constitutes acceptable medical care.

A provider commits medical malpractice when they breach the duty of care they owe a patient, and the patient is injured as a result. There are many ways that a medical provider can breach their duty of care, and it takes a careful and thorough investigation to uncover these actions or inactions.

Elements Necessary to Prove Medical Malpractice Claims

To have a successful medical malpractice claim, the following elements must be provable:

1. The provider owed you a duty of care: Typically, you must prove that a doctor-patient relationship existed and that the medical professional agreed to provide you with medical care.
2. The provider breached their duty of care: A breach may include negligence, recklessness, or malice. The provider is held to a medical standard in their profession. If other healthcare professionals agree that the provider deviated from these professional standards, then their actions are likely considered a breach of their duty of care.
3. This breach of care can be directly linked to an incident, injury, illness, or other harm you suffered. If you had an existing condition that was worsened by the provider’s breach of care, this must also be directly linked.
4. You suffered legally recognized damages as a result of the incident.

Each malpractice claim will need careful investigation to find evidence of these elements. Testimony from healthcare providers and witnesses, medical documentation, and proof of the damages you suffered are all essential evidence to support your claim.

Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice Claims in DeRidder

Medical malpractice claims have a statute of limitations of 1 year from the date the malpractice occurred. All civil claims have a statute of limitations, which is a legal deadline by which you need to file your claim. If you miss this deadline, you are unable to recover damages.

However, there are some exceptions to this 1-year limit. If you were unaware that the malpractice occurred until a later date, you have 1 year from the date you knew or should have known that the malpractice occurred. You will have to prove that you did not know it beforehand. Additionally, all malpractice claims in Louisiana have an overall preemptive date of three years, even if you were unaware of an injury or condition that was caused by malpractice.

Common Medical Malpractice Claims

Some examples of common DeRidder medical malpractice claims include:

• Surgical errors, including completing the wrong operation or leaving objects in the surgery site
• Medication errors, including incorrect dosage or incorrect prescriptions
• Failure to get informed consent by not informing a patient of the potential risks of a form of treatment
• Failure to diagnose, or a delayed diagnosis, when there are clear signs of a condition
• Misdiagnosis, despite clear symptoms that contradict the diagnosis
• Defective medical devices, which were caused by improper maintenance or cleanliness
• Birth injuries to a newborn or a parent
• Anesthesia errors during surgery
• Nursing home and nursing negligence

Medical malpractice can occur in hospitals, in emergency rooms, and during at-home care. It can frequently be hard to know whether an injury was caused because of standard procedures or due to provider negligence.

Why Do I Need a Medical Malpractice Attorney?

When you are injured from medical malpractice or have lost a loved one due to a medical malpractice wrongful death, it can make a complex legal process even more difficult. You need to take the time to recover, but, unfortunately, civil claims need to be filed as quickly as possible. If you wait too long, the statute of limitations on your claim may expire, or you may lose valuable evidence necessary to obtain compensation.

An experienced malpractice attorney can handle your claim for you, negotiate with a healthcare facility and their insurance company, and calculate your damages. Medical malpractice claims are complicated, and a knowledgeable attorney gives you the greatest chance of a successful claim.

Defending Your Rights Against Negligent Medical Providers

At the Law Offices of R. Scott Iles, we can quickly determine if you have suffered from medical malpractice. Our team can use our knowledge and resources to advocate for the compensation you deserve. Contact our firm today to learn how we can help.