Muskegon Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Muskegon Medical Malpractice Attorney

Medical malpractice is a form of personal injury that occurs when a medical professional causes harm to a patient through negligence or a failure to meet the patient’s standard of care. Every year, thousands of people in Michigan and throughout the United States suffer life-changing injuries due to negligent and incompetently performed medical treatments. If you or a loved one recently suffered injuries due to a medical professional’s failure to meet the standard of care you required, contact our firm. A Muskegon medical malpractice attorney is the best asset to have on your side.

Legal Counsel for Muskegon, MI, Medical Malpractice Claims

Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, has years of experience guiding clients in Muskegon and Michigan through a wide range of medical malpractice claims. Our firm believes in providing client-focused, meticulous legal counsel to every client we represent. We’ll take the time necessary to get to know you and your situation to provide the best legal counsel we can through every stage of your case.

Benefits of Working With a Muskegon Medical Malpractice Attorney

While it is possible to manage aspects of your medical malpractice case alone, doing so can risk your case. Many people who experience personal injuries make the mistake of believing they can handle their cases alone. While it is technically possible to file and win a medical malpractice lawsuit without an attorney, doing so is incredibly difficult. The average person with no formal legal training would encounter several obstacles in the court’s procedural requirements. They could overlook crucial details of their cases that jeopardize their ability to recover compensation. Additionally, a plaintiff who chooses self-representation would need to meet these risks while managing the aftermath of their injury.

Instead of risking your recovery on a technicality and making an already challenging situation even more complicated, have an experienced Muskegon medical malpractice lawyer handle your case on your behalf. You can recover with the reassurance of knowing your case is in capable hands and more likely to succeed. A good lawyer will not only increase your chance of winning your case but also of maximizing your compensation as much as Michigan law allows. Our firm understands the complexities of such cases; you can trust your personal injury case to us.

Common Examples of Medical Malpractice in Michigan

The term “medical malpractice” is relatively broad and covers a wide range of different cases. The determining factor as to whether a personal injury qualifies as medical malpractice is the defendant’s status as a medical professional. Doctors, nurses, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and even mental health professionals can face medical malpractice claims if they harm the patients in their care.

Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, has extensive experience helping clients in Muskegon, MI, and surrounding areas through various types of medical malpractice claims, including:

• Medication errors. These are some of the most commonly filed medical malpractice claims in the country and can occur when doctors fail to prescribe medications correctly or when pharmacists fail to fill them correctly. In addition, improperly prescribed medications, dosage errors, and failure to account for potentially harmful drug interactions can lead to medical malpractice claims.
• Diagnostic errors. Physicians responsible for diagnosing patients’ conditions must do so swiftly and accurately. While medicine can be uncertain, unexpected delays might occur, and honest mistakes are possible, misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose, or a delayed diagnosis caused by the physician’s negligence would constitute grounds for a medical malpractice claim.
• Surgery errors. Surgeons who do not perform surgical procedures safely or fail to adhere to the standard of care for their patients become liable for any injuries they cause due to their negligence. On the other hand, some surgical errors can lead to extensive corrective treatments or even threaten patients’ lives.
• Anesthesia errors. Anesthesia is necessary for many medical procedures. Attending medical staff must verify a patient’s medical records to ensure compatibility with certain anesthesia, monitor patients’ vital signs carefully, and verify dosage to prevent patient harm. Negligent errors with anesthesia can cause catastrophic injuries to patients.
• Emergency room errors. While an emergency room can be chaotic, the doctors and nurses who manage emergency rooms are expected to address patients appropriately in a timely manner. If a patient in critical condition is left waiting for too long without treatment, their condition can worsen tremendously. Some patients could even face life-threatening medical complications from emergency room negligence.
• Birth injuries. Childbirth should be a time for celebration, but attending physicians who fail to manage childbirth procedures appropriately can cause tremendous harm to infants and their mothers. Birth injuries can potentially cause a newborn to acquire permanent disabilities and may harm the mother in various ways.
• Birth trauma. When a mother experiences serious psychological distress during or after childbirth, it’s called birth trauma. When it occurs due to medical negligence, the impact can be even more severe.

These are only a few examples of the types of medical malpractice claims our firm has successfully handled. We know that no two plaintiffs will have the same story and take time to get to know everyone we represent. Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, is committed to providing client-focused and compassionate legal counsel in every case we accept.

Damages in a Michigan Medical Malpractice Claim

It’s common for medical malpractice claim plaintiffs to significantly undervalue their claims, not realizing the full scope of the damages they can receive until they’ve secured legal representation. An experienced Muskegon medical malpractice attorney can help their client calculate the full scope of the damages available in their lawsuit, which may include:

• Medical expenses. Medical malpractice results in patient injury, and the victim will likely require extensive corrective treatment. Therefore, the defendant in a medical malpractice claim is responsible for all the plaintiff’s medical expenses due to their negligence.
• Lost income. Suffering an injury from medical malpractice can lead to extensive recovery time. The plaintiff can claim wages lost while forced to stay home and recover. Additionally, a plaintiff could recover lost future earning potential if medical malpractice resulted in a permanent disability that prevents them from returning to work.
• Pain and suffering. Michigan law allows medical malpractice plaintiffs to receive compensation for the pain and suffering caused by negligent medical professionals. However, state law limits non-economic damages in medical malpractice claims to $476,600 as of 2021, but this cap could increase to $851,000 if the plaintiff developed a permanent disability from their experience.

Ultimately, your medical malpractice claim might be worth much more than you originally anticipated. However, when you have an experienced Muskegon medical malpractice lawyer representing you, you are more likely to maximize your recovery with a successful claim.

Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, has the resources, skills, and experience you need on your side as you approach a complex personal injury case. Medical malpractice claims are some of the most procedurally demanding and stressful personal injury claims anyone can face, and we want to help you approach your medical malpractice case with confidence. If you believe you have grounds for a claim and need to speak with an experienced and compassionate Muskegon medical malpractice lawyer, contact Goethel Engelhardt, PLLC, today and schedule your consultation with our team.