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Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Medical Malpractice Lawyers

If a doctor’s error caused your injury or medical issue, you should contact the Powell & Rose Law Firm, PLLC right now. We might be able to represent you in your case against the negligent healthcare professional. You could pursue compensation to cover your lost wages, medical bills, and other expenses.

Many people visit their doctors regularly. You might go to your primary care physician for an annual physical or schedule an appointment with your dentist for routine teeth cleaning. Typically, patients don’t see their medical providers assuming they’ll get hurt at the doctor’s office or hospital. If they didn’t believe they’d be in capable hands, they wouldn’t go.

However, medical errors can cause injuries, medical complications, and illnesses. In severe cases, patients can die from a healthcare professional’s negligence. When a doctor or other healthcare professional makes an unreasonable mistake in the diagnosis or treatment of a patient, the patient suffers the consequences. Medical providers and facilities should be liable for the resulting expenses.

At the Powell & Rose Law Firm, PLLC, our Sallisaw, OK, medical malpractice lawyers understand how traumatic it is to discover that your physician’s mistake caused your injury. Medical errors can interfere with a person’s quality of life and everyday routine. Even if the physical wounds heal, the psychological damage can last for months or years. It’s upsetting to know that someone you trusted behaved so carelessly.

You do not have to pursue legal action alone. We will aggressively seek the maximum compensation you are entitled to for your injury. We believe in fighting for the rights of our clients no matter what. You can depend on us to create a personalized strategy to match your needs and try to reach the best possible outcome in your case. When you hire us, we will remain by your side until the end.

For a free case evaluation to learn more about what the personal injury lawyers of the Powell & Rose Law Firm, PLLC can do for you, call 479-222-6773 today.

Common Types of Medical Malpractice Cases

Various factors can contribute to a patient’s medical problems after seeking treatment from a negligent healthcare professional. Nurses, doctors, and other types of medical providers must meet a certain standard of care and follow all necessary policies required by the facility. Their job is to keep their patients safe and prevent harming them.

When a medical provider doesn’t uphold the required standard of care, they place their patient’s health and safety at risk. Medical errors that commonly lead to injury include:

  • Using unsterilized tools while treating a patient
  • Inadequate post-operative care
  • The facility’s negligent hiring of an unqualified medical professional
  • Surgical errors
  • Recommending an unnecessary procedure to a patient
  • Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis
  • Leaving a foreign object in the body after surgery
  • Prescribing a medication without reviewing the patient’s medical history
  • Administering the incorrect amount of anesthesia during a procedure
  • Misinterpreting the results of lab work, imaging, or another diagnostic test
  • Failing to warn the patient of the potential risks of a course of treatment

The Sallisaw, OK, medical malpractice lawyers of the Powell & Rose Law Firm, PLLC will help you through this traumatic experience. You thought you could trust your physician and ended up with a preventable injury. Our team will provide the guidance and support you need while pursuing the money owed to you by the at-fault party.

Common Types of Injuries Caused by Medical Error

The injuries suffered from medical malpractice can vary. Some people recover without experiencing complications or long-term medical problems. Others suffer permanent injuries and require ongoing treatment to manage symptoms.

The injury you sustained likely requires some sort of medical attention. Whether your injury is minor or severe, you have a right to hold the negligent healthcare professional accountable for their actions.

The most common injuries in medical malpractice cases include:

  • Organ failure
  • Birth injuries
  • Scarring or disfigurement from an unnecessary procedure
  • Internal bleeding
  • Damage to tissue and nerves
  • Worsening symptoms
  • Adverse drug reaction
  • Infections
  • Punctured lung or another organ from mishandling surgical tools
  • Brain damage
  • Complications from an undiagnosed disease

You might face a long road to recovery. Medical errors can leave lasting physical wounds and emotional scars. Many people experience financial strain following medical malpractice. These incidents can result in expensive medical bills. Our goal is to secure the monetary award necessary to prevent you from paying for any expenses out of pocket.

What You Should Do After an Injury

Medical errors can instantly injure patients. However, there are times when malpractice occurs, but the adverse effects aren’t immediately apparent. Sometimes, it takes weeks or even months before someone realizes their doctor’s negligence caused their injury. It can be a shock when you notice unusual symptoms or unexpected issues after treatment. You might not know what to do next, but following the necessary steps is critical.

You should pursue action against the negligent healthcare professional the second you discover that medical malpractice took place. You need proof of what happened, and although you might not trust doctors anymore, you must go to the hospital or another facility for an examination. The new physician should diagnose your condition and might recommend follow-up care.

No matter what you do, listen to your medical provider’s recommendations. Whether they refer you for X-rays, chiropractic care, rehabilitation, or surgery, it’s vital to attend all necessary appointments. Significant gaps in treatment can affect not only your recovery progress but also the outcome of your case.

The insurance company does not want to pay you. Their goal is to save money. If they can find any valid reason to deny your claim or offer a low settlement, they will. That means they could use any gaps in your treatment as evidence against you. They might argue that your injury isn’t serious because it doesn’t require consistent doctor’s appointments. They could decide you don’t need much compensation since you’re not incurring many medical expenses.

Maintain your records throughout your case. You should hold onto every type of paperwork you receive. Keep a copy, whether it’s a hospital bill, physical therapy record, or imaging test result. Your medical documentation and other evidence can show the injury you sustained and how it happened.

It’s also essential to hire an experienced attorney after a medical malpractice incident. The Powell & Rose Law Firm, PLLC can take on the responsibility for your case, so you don’t have to worry about handling the process. We will investigate to determine who we can hold liable and file a claim with the appropriate insurance carrier. If settlement negotiations aren’t in our favor, we have the resources to file a lawsuit and take your case to court. Our medical malpractice lawyers in Sallisaw, OK, are ready to be your advocate and protect your rights.

Compensation Available for Medical Malpractice

If you file a claim with the negligent party’s medical malpractice insurance company, you could receive a settlement to cover your losses, such as:

  • Lost income
  • Loss of future earnings
  • Pain and suffering
  • Disfigurement
  • Medical expenses
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

You could also recover punitive damages. This form of compensation is only available in a lawsuit. You must show clear and convincing evidence of the defendant’s reckless disregard for the rights of others for a jury to award these damages.

Some instances of medical malpractice cause a person’s death. If you lost your loved one due to a healthcare professional’s negligence, you could pursue a wrongful death case. In Oklahoma, wrongful death is the death of a person caused by another’s omission or wrongful act.

Only the personal representative of the deceased’s estate can file a wrongful death lawsuit. The compensation you receive could compensate you and other surviving family members for losses, such as:

  • Loss of consortium by a surviving spouse
  • Mental pain and anguish the deceased endured between the date of the injury and death
  • Burial and medical expenses
  • Lost wages and benefits the deceased could have provided if they survived
  • Grief and loss of companionship by the surviving children and parents

If the medical malpractice victim is a minor child, the surviving parents can pursue a financial award for losses, such as:

  • Loss of the deceased child’s anticipated support and services
  • Medical and burial costs
  • Expenses the parent or guardian paid for the child’s maintenance, support, and education
  • Loss of the parent-child relationship
  • Lost love and companionship from the deceased

Statute of Limitations in Medical Malpractice Cases

You must file your lawsuit by a strict deadline if you want to pursue compensation from the negligent party. Oklahoma’s statute of limitations allows a two-year window for medical malpractice cases. That means you must initiate your lawsuit within two years from the date of the incident.

Once the two-year timeframe passes, you won’t be able to pursue legal action against the healthcare professional in court. However, one exception could give you more time to file suit. Sometimes, medical malpractice cases involve injuries or complications the patient doesn’t notice until months or years later. If that’s true of your situation, you will have two years from the date you knew or should have known your injury resulted from a medical error to file a lawsuit for compensation.

Contact Us

The Powell & Rose Law Firm, PLLC has represented injured clients in Oklahoma for many years. We have the experience to handle the most complex legal matters we encounter. No case is too challenging for us to take on. We believe in helping people who are suffering because of someone else’s negligence.

If you sustained an injury or suffered complications from a doctor’s error, do not hesitate to contact the Powell & Rose Law Firm, PLLC. One of our medical malpractice lawyers in Sallisaw, OK, will be happy to discuss your case with you during a free consultation. We have four conveniently-located offices in Oklahoma and Alabama.