Hapeville Hospital Negligence Lawyer

Every day, Hapeville residents enter the hospital, trusting they receive the highest level of medical care. Unfortunately, some patients leave the hospital in worse shape than when they went into the hospital. Any patient that suffers additional illnesses or injuries while in the hospital could have a viable claim for hospital negligence.

A hospital negligence attorney could help patients who suffered an injury or saw their condition worsen while at the hospital. Determining the cause of a hospital error is challenging, and in many cases, there are multiple factors that could have led to the error. An experienced Hapeville hospital negligence lawyer could rely upon the benefit of a firm with an in-house doctor and his or her frequent use of cutting-edge courtroom technology to resolve any claim favorably. Let a team of experienced lawyers help you make a swift recovery.

Common Causes of Hospital Negligence

One mistake by a hospital or its employees could have a dramatic impact on a patient. These errors could complicate the medical issue that brought the patient in for treatment in the first place. Additionally, a negligent doctor or nurse could further injure a patient in a variety of ways. Some of the most common forms of hospital negligence include:

  • Surgical errors;
  • Misdiagnosis;
  • Nursing errors;
  • Medical record omissions leading to injury;
  • Understaffing;
  • Overcrowding;
  • Negligent hiring; and
  • Improperly maintained equipment.

When a Hapeville hospital negligence attorney reviews a case for the first time, he or she considers every potential cause of the victim’s injuries.

Legal Pitfalls in a Hospital Negligence Lawsuit

When it comes to filing a hospital negligence lawsuit, there are a variety of potential pitfalls that could derail a malpractice lawsuit. In these cases, even a minor error could be fatal to a claim. A Hapeville hospital negligence lawyer could help an injured patient work to comply with all state laws when he or she files a claim. Two potential hurdles facing a hospital negligence case include the statute of limitations and Georgia’s expert affidavit requirements.

Statute of Limitations

O.C.G.A. 9-3-71 governs Georgia’s statute of limitations in medical malpractice cases. According to the statute, a victim must file any medical malpractice case within two years of the date the medical injury occurs.

Filing a Hapeville hospital negligence lawsuit after the statute of limitations has expired will typically lead to a court dismissing the case permanently. This is true even when the underlying negligence claim is strong.

Expert Affidavit Requirements

Georgia law also imparts additional requirements on malpractice claims that do not apply to other types of lawsuits. According to O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1, a victim in a medical malpractice lawsuit must attach an affidavit from a qualified medical expert to his or her complaint. This affidavit must contain a sworn opinion from the medical expert that the wrongdoer in the case committed at least one negligent act or omission based on a review of the claim.

When an affidavit is defective, the court has the right to dismiss a malpractice case. However, in most cases, the court gives a victim the chance to correct the affidavit first.

Contact a Hapeville Hospital Negligence Attorney As Soon As Possible

When hospital owners and operators are careless, serious consequences often occur. No hospital patient should suffer additional injuries or extended treatment time due to the negligence of healthcare professionals.

If you are ready to hold the negligent hospital accountable for your injuries, you should contact a Hapeville hospital negligence lawyer immediately. With a free consultation, you could ask any question you might have directly to an attorney who takes calls after hours.