Flint Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Flint Medical Malpractice Attorney

While most people routinely trust medical professionals to provide safe and effective care, medical malpractice is one of the leading causes of accidental injuries and deaths throughout the United States. Medical professionals have a legal duty not to harm their patients. They must adhere to patients’ standards of care at all times. Sadly, many medical professionals make negligent errors that result in devastating injuries to patients. It’s unfortunate, but many medical professionals fail to meet duty of care standards and responsible for thousands of injuries and deaths each year in the United States.

Representing Medical Malpractice Victims in Flint, MI

If you or a loved one suffered a recent injury, developed an illness, or acquired a disability or medical condition due to a medical professional’s negligence, call our firm. You likely have grounds for a medical malpractice claim under Michigan state law. An experienced Flint medical malpractice lawyer is an invaluable asset in this situation, and your legal team can potentially help you secure compensation for your losses. Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, has extensive experience representing Flint, MI, clients in a wide range of medical malpractice claims, and we’re prepared to leverage this experience on your behalf.

Why You need a Flint Medical Malpractice Attorney

We understand how incredibly daunting it is to suffer an injury after a medical error, negligence, or other malpractice. Medical malpractice may fall within the purview of personal injury law, but these cases have strict procedural requirements that all claimants must meet for their claims to succeed. Attempting to manage the various issues your case is likely to entail while recovering would be extremely challenging on your own. If you’ve suffered an injury due to the negligence or mistake of a medical professional, our team can help. With our firm by your side, you can approach your case with confidence.

Working with an experienced Flint medical malpractice lawyer is the best approach to any medical malpractice claim. You can rely on your attorney to handle your legal affairs on your behalf while you rest and recover with peace of mind. Your legal team will help you gather the evidence and expert witness testimony you will need to succeed with your claim. They can also assist you in calculating the full scope of your claimable damages, likely uncovering channels of compensation you may not have considered on your own.

How Does Medical Malpractice Happen?

Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, has successfully represented many Flint, MI, clients in a wide range of medical malpractice claims. Medical malpractice can occur in many ways, including:

• Diagnostic errors. Diagnosing physicians must use an appropriate differential diagnostic process to determine a patient’s condition. While medicine is inherently uncertain in many ways, physicians are expected to accurately diagnose patients’ conditions in a timely manner. A delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis can prevent patients from receiving the care they need before their condition worsens.
• Medication errors. A prescription error can have devastating effects. Physicians who prescribe medications must ensure their prescriptions do not interfere with the drugs a patient may already be taking, and pharmacists must ensure all prescriptions are filled accurately.
• Emergency room negligence. An emergency room can be an incredibly hectic place to work, but emergency room staff must ensure every patient receives appropriate care as soon as possible. Emergency room errors can potentially lead to catastrophic or life-threatening harm to patients.
• Surgical errors. Surgeons must follow all applicable safety procedures when performing operations. Negligence during surgery can easily result in patient injury. The surgeon will be liable for any corrective treatment the patient requires, along with any other resulting damages.
• Anesthesia errors. It’s also possible for anesthesia errors during surgical procedures to constitute medical malpractice when they result in patient harm. Anesthesiologists and attending physicians must use caution when monitoring patient vital and dosing anesthetics.
• Birth injuries. Childbirth can be challenging, and attending physicians are expected to follow all applicable safety procedures when delivering a newborn. If your child sustained an injury during childbirth due to the physician’s negligence, the child could face lifelong disabilities.
• Birth trauma. Birth trauma is what happens when a mother experiences serious psychological distress during or after childbirth. Such trauma can have lasting consequences.

Ultimately, suppose a medical professional violated a patient’s standard of care in any way that resulted in harm to the patient. In that case, the patient has grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit under Michigan state law.

Proving Liability and Securing Compensation for Medical Malpractice

To succeed with your medical malpractice claim, you must identify the party or parties responsible for your damages and prove they failed to meet the standard of care you required for your situation. A medical malpractice claim will almost always begin with a Notice of Intent to Sue filed by the claimant to the defendant. This informs the medical professional they are being sued for malpractice and may initiate settlement negotiations.

The claimant must also obtain an affidavit of merit from an appropriate medical professional. This expert witness must possess credentials similar to the defendant’s and provide a detailed explanation of how the defendant failed to meet the claimant’s standard of care. A Flint medical malpractice lawyer can be invaluable to any claimant building a medical malpractice case. They can not only assist you with these preliminary requirements but also help you calculate your claimable damages.

In Michigan, the plaintiff in a medical malpractice case has the right to seek total compensation for all economic damages resulting from the defendant’s malpractice. These damages may include the cost of corrective treatment the plaintiff requires due to their injury or ongoing medical costs for managing a disability acquired by the defendant’s malpractice. In addition to economic damages, Michigan plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases can also seek compensation for their pain and suffering.

Michigan limits the amount of compensation a plaintiff can claim in non-economic damages, and the cap increases for inflation each year. As of 2021, the most a plaintiff could seek in pain and suffering compensation is $476,600, or $851,000 if they sustained a permanent injury from the defendant’s malpractice. Your Flint, MI medical malpractice attorney will be a crucial asset when it comes to maximizing your recovery from your claim.

Find Your Legal Team in Flint, MI, Today

Time is a critical factor in any personal injury case. However, medical malpractice claims in Michigan have shorter statutes of limitations than other personal injury claims. You have two years from the date your injury occurred to file your claim. If you did not discover the harm immediately, you have six months from the date of discovery to file your malpractice claim. Therefore, the sooner you connect with an experienced and reliable Flint medical malpractice lawyer, the better your chances will be of succeeding with your claim.

Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, has the experience and resources you need to approach your medical malpractice claim with confidence. We understand that every claimant’s situation is unique, and our team takes the time to carefully review every client’s case to provide individualized and compassionate legal counsel. If you are ready to discuss your options for legal recourse with an experienced Flint medical malpractice attorney, contact Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, to schedule your consultation with our team.