Atlanta Hospital Negligence Lawyer
Despite our expectations, hospitals are a leading cause of injuries. The invasive nature of many procedures combined with the toxic nature of many medications often leads to serious harm in cases of hospital negligence. While not every negative outcome is an example of negligence, and while not every employee works directly under the employ of a hospital, a failure to uphold the state’s standard of care for medical providers may indicate medical malpractice.
A client-focused Atlanta hospital negligence lawyer may be able to help you when a hospital’s negligence has caused your injuries. Attorneys could assist you by investigating the incident, analyze the evidence with the state’s medical malpractice laws, and demand appropriate compensation for your losses in court with the help of cutting-edge presentation technology and an in-house medical professional.
Common Examples of Hospital Negligence
Hospitals have an absolute duty to provide medical care to their patients. This typically results in a pair of scenarios where a hospital’s employees and independent contractors fail to provide this care results in an injury.
The most obvious form of this negligence is medical malpractice. Hospitals employ dozens of independent doctors and hundreds of nurses to diagnose conditions, administer medications, dress wounds, and perform surgeries. A failure on the part of these employees to perform these tasks with appropriate skill and care as required under O.C.G.A. §51-1-27 is certainly an example of hospital negligence.
The other source of hospital negligence injuries is premises liability claims. As businesses are generally open to the public, hospitals must take appropriate steps to keep their premises clean and clear of any hazards. A patient or even a visitor who slips and falls in a corridor, who falls down a broken stair, or who faces exposure to toxic chemicals or radiation may all allege that a party under contract or employed by a hospital was negligent. An Atlanta hospital negligence lawyer could help people to evaluate the sources of their injuries to determine the appropriate party to hold responsible.
Working to Collect Appropriate Compensation Following Hospital Negligence
Regardless of whether a victim’s losses are the result of medical malpractice or common negligence, the purpose of a claim is to make the victim whole again. In relatively minor cases involving slips and falls, this may consist of the payment of medical bills for broken bones or sprained ligaments as well as reimbursement for lost wages and some payments for pain and suffering.
Medical malpractice claims tend to be much more involved. An injury that results from a misdiagnosis, a botched medical procedure, or even a failure to provide timely care could all have permanent effects on a victim’s health. These claims should demand payments for all past and future medical costs, any lost income resulting from a permanent disability, and payments for lost quality of life. Fortunately, in 2010 the Georgia Supreme Court removed any limits placed on non-economic damages a victim could claim. In the most extreme cases, a victim could ask for punitive damages. While there is a $250,000 limit to these damages, there may also be exceptions depending on the circumstances of a case. An Atlanta hospital negligence lawyer could help injured people evaluate their cases and demand appropriate payments from negligent parties involved.
An Atlanta Hospital Negligence Lawyer Could Help Victims Recover
Hospitals always have a duty of care when it comes to protecting their patients and visitors. This includes a duty to provide competent and skilled medical care and also to maintain the premises in a safe condition. Any injury that occurs while on a hospital’s property may be a valid justification for pursuing a claim for compensation that alleges hospital negligence.
An Atlanta hospital negligence lawyer could help you to pursue these claims by putting your needs at the head of a case. When the case involves medical malpractice, attorneys could help you to locate and hire a qualified expert needed to present your case in court. For cases centered on simple premises liability, they could work to gather evidence of maintenance records, security footage, and perform on-site inspections to build cases alleging a failure to maintain the property. Contact an Atlanta hospital negligence lawyer today to speak directly with a legal professional and for a free case evaluation.
