Marietta Hospital Negligence Lawyer
Hospitals and their staff have a duty of care that they must uphold to each patient. Unfortunately, in the course of meeting these standards, mistakes are often made. Sometimes they are small and have no impact on a patient. Other times they are extremely life-altering or even fatal.
If you are suffering due to an act of negligence or intentional malice in a hospital, a free case review with a client-centered Marietta hospital negligence lawyer could help you determine your best course of action to move forward. Since hospitals often contract employees, you could bring a claim against a wrongdoer and seek the compensation you need for your losses.
What Is Hospital Negligence?
Hospital negligence could involve a vast array of staff and departments. Any number of hospital employees could be found liable for negligence, including the hospital administration itself.
The Losses Hospital Negligence Could Cause
Hospital negligence of any kind holds the potential to cause serious injury and losses to its victims. In fact, there are multiple types of losses that an injured person could claim with the assistance of a skilled Marietta hospital negligence lawyer: special, general, and punitive.
Special Damages
Damages that have a defined value attached to them are known as special damages. If it were not for the negligence of the hospital, the victim would not have incurred these damages which include:
- Medical expenses,
- Lost wages and income, and
- Future earning capacity.
General or Non-Economic Damages
Not all damages suffered by a victim have an inherent financial value. There are other ways in which a victim could be suffering that does not involve bills or expenses. O.C.G.A. § 51-13-1(4) defines non-economic damages as:
- Physical and emotional pain or discomfort,
- Anxiety or mental anguish,
- Hardship or distress,
- Disfigurement or physical impairment,
- Loss of enjoyment of life,
- Loss of society and companionship, and
- Loss of consortium.
Importantly, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that a cap on damages violates the right to a jury trial established in the state constitution, therefore, damage caps for general damages are not enforced.
Punitive Damages
Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1(a), punitive damages are for the purpose of penalizing, punishing, or deterring a negligent person from ever committing a similar offense. Punitive damages are only awarded when the victim’s Marietta hospital negligence attorney provides clear and convincing evidence that the offender acted with willful misconduct, malice, or wantonness.
Help from a Marietta Hospital Negligence Attorney
Hospital negligence cases have the potential to be complex, involving many different responsible wrongdoers. It is important to identify who is liable, how they are liable, and what the victim’s losses entail which could be done with an in-house doctor. Once these are identified, it is critical to enlist an attorney who uses cutting-edge courtroom technology to better a victim’s odds of a favorable outcome.
If you have been harmed by a hospital or its staff members, you need to enlist the help of a Marietta hospital negligence lawyer to recover your compensation. Get the help you need by calling a qualified team of attorneys who put your needs at the forefront of the case.