Medical negligence litigators seek to establish which clinical standards are pertinent to their case, define what these clinical standards are, and then set out to demonstrate how the clinical standards were not followed.
Medical malpractice cases require stringent and comprehensive clinical review and attorneys always employ medical experts to review their cases. Often overlooked is the use of a hospital administration expert who can add significantly to the case by evaluating the corporate responsibilities of the hospital involved in the matter.
In 1998, problems with my vision forced me to retire from the active practice of cardiac surgery.
We assessed whether physician assistant (PA) and nurse practitioner (NP) utilization increases liability.
Progress has been made on improving patient safety and reducing clinical mistakes, but errors happen and, in spite of everything, patients are still harmed.
Each lawsuit is different, and each state has different laws. In general, this is the process in Florida. Your case may proceed differently. We can break it down into 4 stages: investigation, pre-suit, suit, and post-verdict. The process takes months to years. Mediation (meeting with the other side to try to settle) can occur during any of the 3 later stages. It is very important, so we will discuss it here too.
Good record keeping is not only good medical practice but can serve as a solid defense against claims which may or may not have merit. The record, whether in the hospital or in the office, should be a contemporaneous representation of all information relevant to the particular patient. This includes the history of the patient, physical examination, laboratory data, nursing notes, progress notes, etc.
