You may feel completely betrayed if you put your life into the hands of a medical practitioner you trusted, only to be negligently injured in turn. No one expects their condition to worsen after receiving medical care, so victims of medical malpractice might feel especially shocked and dismayed. Further, medical malpractice injuries range in severity, with some of the worst incidents causing death, so in addition to the emotional shock you are experiencing, you might also be dealing with an extremely devastating injury or the death of a loved one. If you are suffering from either of these situations, you have the right to seek justice and Ben Crump Law, PLLC wants to help you get it.
You might be owed compensation for whatever medical malpractice you have suffered, and a Memphis medical malpractice lawyer can help you determine that. To learn more about what Ben Crump Law, PLLC can do for you, give us a call today at (800) 641-8998. We offer all clients a free consultation and an opportunity to seek justice. Our attorneys work on a contingency basis, so there is no need to worry about payment unless we win for you.
Common Medical Malpractice Injuries
The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance keeps records on the types of healthcare liability and causes of medical malpractice injuries that occur annually in Tennessee. Those records identified the top eight types of medical malpractice injuries, in 2018, along with the number of cases and total damages awarded, all of which are listed below.
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Failure to Monitor
There were 130 “failure to monitor” cases and $16,583,906 paid in total settlements, as a result. Failure to monitor a patient’s care can have serious consequences depending on why the patient is being seen. An ICU patient struggling to breathe could slip into respiratory failure if their breathing is not closely monitored. A baby who is not adequately monitored might suffer damage from becoming entangled in the umbilical cord during labor.
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Product Liability
That year, 309 product liability cases occurred, and a subsequent $16,000,000 paid in total settlements. A wide range of medical products can cause patients harm when faulty or defective. A faulty heart rate monitor or a defective pacemaker could both lead to patient cardiac arrest and death. A faulty MRI machine could provide a false negative when scanning for serious medical issues. Defective lasers might cause scarring in the eye of a laser surgery patient.
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Failure to Diagnose
193 cases of failure to diagnose yielded a settlement total of $15,737,499 that year. Failure to diagnose might have serious consequences, and they could happen relatively quickly or take years to manifest. A doctor who completely rules out cancer for an ill patient might be held liable later when the patient is diagnosed with cancer that has spread. A baby with meningitis who is incorrectly diagnosed may suffer consequences, even death, within days.
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Improper Performance
A total of $10,762,445 was paid to 181 patients who suffered from improper performance. This references the improper performance of a surgery or procedure. These, too, can be very serious. There have been cases where doctors have operated on the wrong side of the body or the poor performance of a procedure which causes nerve damage and permanent paralysis. If improperly performed, electrolysis might cause a patient severe burns and scarring.
Failure/Delay in Admission to Hospital or Institution
There were ten cases that yielded $10,072,436 in damages to patients who were not admitted, or not admitted quickly enough and suffered from lack of medical treatment. For example, an injured patient might suffer significant blood loss while waiting for treatment in a crowded emergency room.
Vicarious Liability
14 patients sought $9,010,303 in damages for vicarious liability. Vicarious liability means that a person’s employer is held responsible for that employee’s actions when the employee is doing what they are told. For example, a hospital might be held vicariously liable for a doctor who misdiagnosed a patient. Many medical professionals are independent contractors though, so this only applies to medical professionals directly employed by a hospital or other medical office. A hospital could be held liable for a nurse who harms a patient by administering the wrong medication, or dosage of medication.
Delay in Treatment
A delay in treatment harmed 55 people causing $8,004,285 worth of damages. A doctor could be held liable if he diagnosed an urgent condition yet failed to operate or refer the patient elsewhere within an adequate time frame. The doctor’s lack of urgency can be negligent when he is aware of the patient’s condition and need for treatment.
Failure to Treat
$7,295,884 was paid to 74 people who suffered because a medical professional failed to treat a condition. A patient complaining of a certain symptom or problem that proves to have serious consequences later might be held liable. A failure to diagnose could result from a doctor’s failure to treat a patient, or a diagnosed condition could become worse. A patient with symptoms of nausea might be able to hold her doctor liable if she is refused treatment and later suffers serious sickness from appendicitis.
How We Can Help
If you have suffered from any of the above scenarios, a Memphis medical malpractice lawyer could be able to get you the damages award you deserve. When you are hurt by a negligent medical professional you trusted, you are owed compensation for the damages you suffered. A medical malpractice lawsuit could prevent you from incurring further harm from this tragedy. A fair settlement would cover your medical expenses, loss of wages, emotional suffering, pain, and any other losses you suffered from your injury.
When you call Ben Crump Law, PLLC we can help you file a lawsuit and fight to recover what you deserve. If you have been harmed in a medical malpractice accident, there is limited time in which to file a lawsuit for damages. According to TN Code §29-26-116, victims have only one year from the date of their injury to file their suit. If you would like to talk to someone about your case, give a team member at Ben Crump Law, PLLC a call at (800) 641-8998 for a free consultation. We do not want you to miss your chance for justice, so call us today. There is no need to worry about payment because we take nothing unless we win your case.
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