Many people mistakenly believe that filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is a simple process that one can pursue if your doctor makes a mistake while treating you. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. The truth is, there is a lot more to a medical malpractice case than a patient receiving inadequate treatment. In order to show or prove that you do have a medical malpractice lawsuit on your hands, you will need to consider the following important factors:
- A doctor or another healthcare professional made a mistake, and
- You sustained an injury or were harmed in some other way by this mistake
So, in order to file a medical malpractice lawsuit in Oklahoma, you must be able to prove that a medical provider or facility negligently provided care that resulted in injury or death. The majority of malpractice lawsuits end up becoming long and complicated, in large part because it can be challenging to prove that your doctor made a mistake and that you were injured as a result of this error. If you believe you have a medical malpractice lawsuit on your hands and would like to discuss your options with one of our knowledgeable malpractice attorneys, please contact AMA Law today.
In most cases, medical malpractice lawsuits against doctors and hospitals or other healthcare facilities are usually due to one of the reasons mentioned below. If you have any questions about this information, please give our Oklahoma medical malpractice law firm a call today. Here are the most common reasons to file a medical malpractice lawsuit:
- Doctor did not perform correct or adequate treatment. One of the most common reasons for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is that a medical provider does not provide treatment that is within the accepted standards. This may be that the doctor administered improper medication or an untested treatment. If this takes place and a patient was harmed as a result, he may be held liable for his actions.
- Patient suffers an abnormal injury. These types of cases usually occur when a patient has suffered an unexpected injury that could only happen when the doctor was negligent. These suits usually surround absurd injuries, such as items being left inside a patient or clearly botched surgeries.
- Lack of consent. Before a medical professional administers any kind of medical treatment, he must obtain informed consent, which requires the patient in question to be of age, lucid, and able to understand all of the risks associated with the treatment. In the event the doctor failed to explain all of the risks and the patient was harmed as a result, he may be held responsible for his actions.
- Proper safety procedures were not followed. These types of suits can range for injuries caused by unsterile facilities or equipment to failure to double-check patient identity and medical history. Furthermore, if a safety procedure was in place but ignored and a patient was injured as a result, you may be able to pursue a lawsuit.
- Facility is not properly maintained. Last but certainly not least, a medical malpractice lawsuit can be filed if a facility where a person received treatment failed to properly maintain equipment or the facility itself. This may include sterility, a lack of proper equipment, and adequately trained or certified staff.
To learn more about medical malpractice lawsuits in Oklahoma or to speak with one of our attorneys about your case, please contact AMA Law today.