Minneapolis Doctor Error Lawyer
None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes. When our mistakes injure people, we must make amends. These amends usually include more than just saying sorry. For example, if Peter uses a racial slur when he talks to Paul, Peter should not just apologize. He should also promise not to use that word again or seek some sensitivity training. Likewise, when doctors make mistakes, saying “I’m sorry” usually is not enough. If the mistake violated the doctor’s duty of care, the physician must pay damages.
Basically, doctors have a fiduciary duty in these situations. Mostly because of their vast training and experience, they have very little margin for error when it comes to patient health and safety. They must always bring all that experience and training to bear in every decision they make. They cannot ever take shortcuts or go through the motions.
The diligent Minneapolis doctor error lawyers at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman never take shortcuts or go through the motions. We have the same duty of care as doctors. But we are diligent not because we have to be, but because we want to be. We are committed to maximum compensation for victims. So, we build legal claims from the ground up and never relent until we obtain the best possible results under the circumstances.
Kinds of Medical Errors
General practice doctors, surgeons, and other professionals are a lot like OB-GYNs in many ways. Healthcare is a process as opposed to an event. An error, or rather a lack of care, could occur at any point in this process. Some examples include:
- Diagnosis: External trauma injuries, like broken bones and facial lacerations, are rather easy to diagnose. Internal diseases, especially cardiovascular issues and other chronic serious conditions, are usually much more difficult to diagnose. Doctors cannot rely on their instincts and they cannot jump to conclusions. Instead, they must perform tests and base their decisions on these test results.
- Treatment: Many illnesses have treatment issues. For example, there is a big difference between NSCLC (non small cell lung cancer) and mesothelioma, even though they are both kinds of lung cancer. NSCLC is a relatively slow-developing disease which usually responds to many different treatment approaches. Mesothelioma, on the other hand, is a very aggressive form of lung cancer which must be treated very aggressively.
- Recovery: Hospitals are breeding grounds for all manner of bacteria and viral infections. The possibility of infection is high, and recovering patients are usually weak and vulnerable. When patients leave surgery, many doctors believe they are on the downhill side. But the aforementioned duty of care requires physicians and medical treatment teams to take special care of patients as they recover.
Damages in a medical error claim usually include compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages are usually available in these claims as well. A punitive damages limitation cap may apply in some cases.
These damages are available if your Minneapolis doctor error attorney is both a good litigator and a good negotiator. Aggressive advocacy in court is not enough. Most cases settle out of court. So, your attorney must know when to compromise and when to stand firm.
Reach Out to a Compassionate Hennepin County Lawyer
Injury victims are usually entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced doctor error attorney in Minneapolis, contact Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman LLC by going online or calling 410-567-0800. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.
