what kind of lawyer handles complaints against medical clinics

by Margarete Lowe 9 min read

Full Answer

What is a lawyer who handles cases against doctors called?

Lawyers who handle cases against doctors are often referred to as medical malpractice lawyers. Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor or other healthcare professional fails to use the standard of care that applies to him or her.

What kind of complaints can you file against a doctor?

Working under the influence of drugs or alcohol; sexual misconduct; practicing without a license; and altering records are a few other examples of proper types of complaints. Filing a complaint against a doctor with your state’s medical board is usually the first step in bringing disciplinary action against a doctor.

Who are the lawyers for hospital malpractice lawsuits?

HOSPITAL MALPRACTICE LAWSUITS The hospital malpractice lawyers of Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. have years of experience investigating complex medical negligence lawsuits. Our clients recover multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts every year and we have the resources to fight large corporations and hospitals to protect the interests of our clients.

What happens if you make a complaint to the Medical Board?

The board then reviews complaints or refers them to another agency if needed. The medical board may ask to see medical records. If you complain about a doctor, the medical board will not disclose your identity. Unfortunately, one complaint may not lead to formal discipline against the offending doctor.

What is the most common complaint in clinical practice?

Common Patient ComplaintsScheduling difficulties. ... Disagreements with staff. ... Feeling unheard. ... Not getting enough time with the doctor. ... Waiting too long. ... Confusion with insurance and billing.

What is the most common lawsuit in healthcare?

What Are the Most Common Medical Malpractice Claims?Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis.Failure to treat.Prescription drug errors.Surgical or procedural errors.Childbirth injuries.

What is the most common patient complaint?

Studies have found that the vast majority of hospital patient complaints are related to the customer service they receive, specifically in the areas of:Staff/Patient Communication: 53 percent.Long Wait Times: 35 percent.Practice Staff Behavior: 12 percent.Billing Discrepencies: 2 percent.

Where do I report medical negligence in South Africa?

If you feel that an alternative healthcare practitioner acted negligently or unethically, report to the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA)to investigate the complaint.

What is an example of negligence in healthcare?

Failure to diagnose or misdiagnosing an injury or illness. Misreading or ignoring laboratory results. Unnecessary surgery. Surgical errors or wrong site surgery.

What are the two types of medical negligence?

Six Common Types of Medical MalpracticeMisdiagnoses. Misdiagnoses are among the most common types of medical negligence in malpractice claims. ... Delayed Diagnoses. ... Negligent Failure to Treat. ... Surgical Malpractice. ... Birth Injuries. ... Defective Medical Devices. ... Do You Need a Malpractice Lawyer?

What is the most common cause of complaints within healthcare?

The main reasons for complaints were related to attitude/conduct (28.8%), professional skills (17.8%), patient expectations (16.2%), waiting time (10.0%) and communication (7.8%).

Which of the following is the most common cause of complaints within healthcare?

The most common issues complained about were 'treatment' (15.6%) and 'communication' (13.7%).

What are the 10 rights of the patient?

Let's take a look at your rights.The Right to Be Treated with Respect.The Right to Obtain Your Medical Records.The Right to Privacy of Your Medical Records.The Right to Make a Treatment Choice.The Right to Informed Consent.The Right to Refuse Treatment.The Right to Make Decisions About End-of-Life Care.

Where can I lodge a complaint against a clinic?

They must lodge their complaints with the complaints manager or the office of the hospital chief executive officer. Alternatively they can call the following hotline numbers 0800 233 886 or 011 488 4366.

What is the average payout for medical negligence in South Africa?

the average value paid out per claim was R117,059. R645,832 was the average pay-out for loss of earnings. R390,004 was the average pay-out for general damages. R15,030 was the average pay-out for medical expenses.

What is classed as medical negligence?

Medical negligence is substandard care that's been provided by a medical professional to a patient, which has directly caused injury or caused an existing condition to get worse. There's a number of ways that medical negligence can happen such as misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment or surgical mistakes.

What is the biggest medical lawsuit?

Biggest medical malpractice cases of 2019Name of caseAmount awardedG.S. v. Walker$101 millionJones v. Jones$56 millionMurray vs. Valley Health System$48.63 million7 more rows

What is the largest medical lawsuit?

A woman in Prince George's County, Maryland, won the largest medical malpractice verdict in US history when a Baltimore judge awarded her $205 million in July 2019.

What is the largest medical lawsuit in history?

A Baltimore judge upheld a medical malpractice verdict against Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. A Baltimore judge upheld a $205 million verdict in favor of a Prince George's County woman in what attorneys say is the largest medical malpractice verdict in U.S. history.

What is the biggest lawsuit ever?

1. Tobacco settlements for $206 billion. In 1998, Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds, and two other tobacco companies agreed to a $206 billion settlement, at a minimum, covering medical costs for smoking-related illnesses.

What Is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice takes place when a healthcare provider provides treatment that falls below the accepted standard of care in the medical communi...

Examples of Medical Malpractice

Patients can be victims of medical malpractice in a variety of different ways. Below are some examples.Anesthesia ErrorsAnesthesia errors are one a...

How Do You Know If You Have A Medical Malpractice Case?

You might be asking yourself, “How do I know if I have a medical malpractice case?” or “How Can I Prove a Medical Malpractice Case?” If you’re cons...

Damages in A Medical Malpractice Case

Although we touched on medical malpractice damages above, here is some more detailed information on the type of damages in a medical malpractice ca...

What Does A Medical Malpractice Attorney do?

If you’ve determined that you might have a medical malpractice case, you probably have some questions: How do I choose a good attorney and what can...

How Long Do You Have to File A Lawsuit For Medical Malpractice?

Under laws in certain states, a statute of limitations limits the amount of time under which an injured patient may pursue a medical malpractice la...

Why Morgan & Morgan Has Won Millions For Injured Patients

Our attorneys at Morgan & Morgan have recovered millions of dollars for injured patients, because we’ve been doing this a long time. We know what t...

Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor or other healthcare professional fails to use the standard of care that applies to him or her

Lawyers who handle cases against doctors are often referred to as medical malpractice lawyers. Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor or other healthcare professional fails to use the standard of care that applies to him or her.

Millions in Case Verdicts & Settlements

Over the past two decades, Mr. Willens and his team of Chicago personal injury lawyers have been instrumental in obtaining numerous million-dollar-plus recoveries on behalf of clients in a wide variety of injury cases.

What are some examples of hospital lawsuits?

Some common examples of a hospital lawsuit include but may not be limited to: Emergency room malpractice; Refusing to admit or treat a patient without adhering to proper denial protocol;

How is a hospital lawsuit different from a malpractice suit?

Hospital lawsuits are different from malpractice suits against an individual doctor, as proceeding in the lawsuit against a corporation is different than suing an individual. For example, when initiating a lawsuit against an individual, you may serve them directly with your lawsuit.

What is medical malpractice?

Medical malpractice refers to the negligence of a healthcare professional resulting in the injury of a patient with whom they have, or previously had, a professional relationship. Under the corporate negligence doctrine, the hospital itself may be held responsible for a mistake made by a doctor or other staff employed by the hospital.

What is hospital lawsuit?

In general, hospital lawsuits are personal injury lawsuits arising from injuries suffered by a patient. Those injuries are usually based on negligence, or a failure to use reasonable care which results in the damage or injury of another person. Negligence is based on a person’s failure to do something, rather than their actual actions.

What is hospital negligence?

Hospital negligence may be direct, such as: Losing, mishandling, or unlawfully transferring confidential patient records. Disregard of proper medical care standards. Due to the specific nature of a hospital environment, injuries that result in a lawsuit against the hospital often involve different areas of the law.

Why are hospitals being sued?

Lawsuits are filed against hospitals for a wide variety of reasons. As previously mentioned, negligence and malpractice are the most common. Some lawsuits may be for small or one-time incidents, while others are for larger or more far-reaching incidents.

What is negligence in medical malpractice?

Negligence is based on a person’s failure to do something, rather than their actual actions. However, lawsuits against hospitals may involve various legal claims and theories besides negligence. Lawsuits involving hospitals are most commonly related to some sort of medical malpractice.

How can a lawyer help you with malpractice?

Causation and proving malpractice can be very complicated, and a lawyer can help you to gather the right evidence and to find the necessary expert witnesses so that you are able to be fairly compensated for any harm that occurred as a result of a professional not being careful when managing your health .

What are the damages for medical malpractice?

The last thing that a patient has to prove in order to be able to recover compensation for medical malpractice is that the harm caused by the practitioner's negligence actually caused some kind of damages. Damages include the following: 1 Medical bills and costs associated with treating the injury that resulted from the negligence or that was exacerbated or made worse as a result of the negligence. This portion of damages covers not just past medical bills but any costs of future expected care as well. 2 Lost wages. This should include all losses, even if the plaintiff was able to take vacations or sick days. It should also include any future losses that will result if the plaintiff expects to miss more work or to be less able to earn income than in the past as a result of the injuries. 3 Pain and suffering 4 Emotional distress 5 Wrongful death if the patient was killed by the medical negligence. 6 Punitive damages if permitted by the state and if the doctor's behavior was negligent enough to be deserving of such damages.

What is the duty of care?

A plaintiff can prove that a health care provider had a duty to provide him/her with competent medical care if there is some relationship between the health care provider and the patient. For instance: Hospitals have a duty to patients who are admitted.

What does negligence mean in a lawsuit?

Essentially, the plaintiff has to show that the negligence was the but for, or proximate and direct cause of some kind of damage and injury. This gets tricky because doctors or hospitals may argue that the injury would have happened and would have been the same even if the negligence had never occurred.

What happens if a doctor doesn't do CPR?

If a doctor, nurse or health care professional provides you with care but doesn't do it right, then he/she can be held responsible. This can range from leaving an instrument inside you during surgery to not performing CPR with a reasonable degree of skill to amputating the wrong foot to any other type of medical procedure performed with a lack of reasonable skill.

What is a breach of duty in healthcare?

The duty was breached. The breach of duty was the direct cause of some kind of harm, without which the harm would not have occurred. The harm directly caused an injury for which the patient may be compensated.

What happens if a doctor fails to diagnose a condition?

If a doctor fails to diagnose a condition that he/she reasonably should have diagnosed given the symptoms you reported and/or the results of the tests performed, then the doctor can be held liable for any problems arising from the misdiagnosis or delayed treatment.

Hospital Malpractice Lawsuits Reviewed Nationwide

In times of emergency, patients turn to hospitals and surgical facilities for treatment. Unfortunately, the quality of care provided at one hospital can be substantially different from what is provided at another facility. If a hospital makes a mistake, it can result in serious injuries, or even death, for the patient.

HOSPITAL NEGLIGENCE

The quality of care at a hospital is significantly influenced by the training, education, supervision and resources provided to the employees.

Dealing with Medical Board Complaints: Part I

Before we dive in, some fast advice. Addressing board complaints alone is a challenge. So, don’t take this on alone. Schedule a free consultation with our Founder and CEO, Jeff Segal, MD, JD. We’ve been protecting doctors from medico-legal threats since 2001 – and we’ve seen it all. Dr.

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This is a 90 minute appointment that will include Bio Feedback analysis and nutrition response muscle testing to determine your nutritional needs level.

When a complaint becomes a malpractice case, what happens?

If the complaint is very serious, you may have reason to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Malpractice occurs when a hospital, doctor, or other healthcare professional injures a patient through errors in diagnosis, treatment, or aftercare. A valid medical malpractice claim must show ...

What is a physician who delivers substandard care?

A physician who delivers substandard care subjects him or herself to a formal complaint. Such legitimate complaints include but are not limited to: Misdiagnosis. Careless treatment that causes you harm. An unusual delay in treatment. Under- or overprescribing medication. Giving you the wrong medication.

How long does it take to file a medical malpractice lawsuit?

The Medical Malpractice Statute of Limitations determines the time you have to file a lawsuit, ranging from one to three years from the date of injury, depending on the state. If you file a complaint with the medical board and then file suit, know that the medical board can only take administrative action against the doctor’s license ...

Why is malpractice so expensive?

Medical malpractice cases are usually expensive because of the expert testimony and evidence-gathering required. A lawyer will review your case to determine whether it’s worth pursuing.

Can a medical board ask for medical records?

The medical board may ask to see medical records. If you complain about a doctor, the medical board will not disclose your identity. Unfortunately, one complaint may not lead to formal discipline against the offending doctor.

Can you pursue a medical malpractice case?

It can’t help you pursue a medical malpractice case. It also can’t disclose any information that it collects during the course of its review with you or your family members. Medical mistakes can lead to serious injury. If you think your doctor made a serious error in treatment, take action.

What is a malpractice lawsuit?

A rapidly growing field of malpractice lawsuits stems from a category known as “mental health malpractice.”. A mental health malpractice claim may arise when a mental health practitioner (e.g., a psychiatrist) treats their patient in a negligent manner or abuses the power that they have over them as a professional.

What rights do patients have?

One of the primary rights that patients should know about is the right to refuse treatment. Regardless of whether the patient was committed to a mental health facility voluntarily or involuntarily, according to the law, a patient always has a right to refuse treatment. However, there may be some exceptions.

Why is it important for a mental health provider to keep patient information confidential?

On the other, the mental health provider could be the only who knew about or had access to the information that the patient might pose a danger to others.

Do mental health providers have a duty to warn others?

Since then, many jurisdictions have opted to adopt this ruling and it has been generally applied in almost all states that a mental health provider does have a duty to warn someone else if their patient seeks to harm them. This is especially true if the patient intends to kill the victim.

Can a doctor be sued for medical malpractice?

For example, a doctor who fails to treat their patient properly and as a result, ends up making the patient worse, could be sued for medical malpractice .

Legal Requirements of A Medical Malpractice Claim

  • A victim who has been injured as a result of negligence on the part of a health care provider may only hold the provider responsible if that patient can prove the four essential elements of a medical malpractice claim. These four elements are as follows: 1. The health care provider had a duty to the patient. 2. The duty was breached. 3. The breach of duty was the direct cause of som…
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Proof of Legal Elements

  • If any of these four elements are not present, then a plaintiff may not make a malpractice claim. Furthermore, like in all personal injury cases, the burden is on the plaintiff to prove his or her case. This means a patient must prove the doctor or other professional was liable; a doctor does not have to prove he wasn't. The standard of proof that is used to assess whether a plaintiff has pro…
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The Duty of Care

  • A plaintiff can prove that a health care provider had a duty to provide him/her with competent medical care if there is some relationship between the health care provider and the patient. For instance: 1. Hospitals have a duty to patientswho are admitted. Furthermore, the law also requires that a hospital admit a patient who comes to that hospital ...
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Breach of Duty

  • Once the duty has been established, the next thing that a plaintiff must do is demonstrate that the doctor or health care professional breached that duty. In other words, something less reasonable, less careful, and less skilled must have occurred. This can be almost anything, but some of the most common categories of breach include the following:
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Causation

  • Causation can be the hardest thing for a plaintiff to prove. Essentially, the plaintiff has to show that the negligence was the but for, or proximate and direct cause of some kind of damage and injury. This gets tricky because doctors or hospitals may argue that the injury would have happened and would have been the same even if the negligence had never occurred. For exampl…
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Damages

  • The last thing that a patient has to prove in order to be able to recover compensation for medical malpractice is that the harm caused by the practitioner's negligence actually caused some kind of damages. Damages include the following: 1. Medical bills and costs associated with treating the injury that resulted from the negligence or that was exacerbated or made worse as a result of th…
See more on alllaw.com