Athens Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Your Voice: Athens Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Trusting doctors and nurses to treat various ailments is necessary. Medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Each year, approximately 22,000 people in the U.S. die because of medical providers’ errors or oversights and an estimated 7,150 previously healthy individuals die in the U.S. each year because of medical negligence.

Typically, Georgia’s healthcare providers offer top-notch care. However, mistakes do occur as misdiagnosis is the most common type of medical negligence. Injured patients and their families suffer. A personal injury attorney can provide valuable guidance on the statutes of limitations related to medical malpractice claims.

Our Athens medical malpractice lawyers at Chance, Forlines, Carter & King, PC, are here to help if medical negligence has caused harm to you or a loved one. To address your injuries, it may be necessary to sue the negligent provider, requiring litigation. Proving malpractice in a court of law is complex and requires sufficient evidence and legal knowledge.

Medical malpractice cases often require expert testimony to establish negligence and causation. Our Athens law firm helps file a court complaint, supported by affidavits and medical documentation. We handle all court proceedings, discovery, pre-trial motions, status conferences, and hearings for your medical malpractice case.

Contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer now to get the legal help you’ve been looking for!

Call 404-760-7400 now to schedule a free consultation with our experienced Athens medical malpractice attorneys.

What Makes Medical Malpractice Cases Complex

Medical malpractice cases are among the most difficult personal injury claims to prove. Unlike car accidents where fault may be clear, malpractice requires showing that a doctor fails to meet accepted standards of care. This involves understanding complex medicine and medical procedures that most people never encounter.

Georgia law requires that you file an affidavit from a qualified medical expert when you start your case. This expert must practice in the same field as the defendant and must state that malpractice likely occurred. Without this affidavit, your case cannot move forward. Finding the right expert takes time and knowledge of the medical field.

The burden of proof falls on injured patients and their families. You must prove four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. This means showing the doctor owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, caused your injury, and that you deserve compensation for your losses. Our Athens team understands how to build cases that meet these requirements.

Common Types of Medical Malpractice in Athens, GA

Medical malpractice takes many forms in Athens, GA. Surgical errors include operating on the wrong body part, leaving instruments inside the patient, or damaging organs during surgery. These mistakes can cause permanent injury, infection, or death. When surgeons fail to follow protocols, patients pay the price.

Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis are also common types of malpractice. When doctors miss signs of cancer, heart disease, or stroke, patients lose valuable treatment time. A delayed diagnosis can turn a treatable condition into a terminal one. These cases require careful review of medical records to show what red flags the doctor missed.

Birth injuries affect both mothers and babies. When nurses or doctors fail to monitor fetal distress, delay necessary C-sections, or misuse delivery tools, the results can be devastating. Babies may suffer cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries, or brain injuries that last a lifetime. Shoulder dystocia cases often involve improper handling during delivery.

Understanding Your Rights as a Patient in Georgia

Georgia patients have important rights when receiving medical care. You have the right to informed consent, meaning doctors must explain risks and alternatives before treatment. You have the right to see your medical records and understand what care you received. When these rights are violated and you suffer harm, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim.

You also have the right to seek compensation when medical negligence causes injury. This includes payment for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. In cases where negligence leads to wrongful death, family members can pursue justice on behalf of their loved one.

Time limits apply to medical malpractice lawsuits in Georgia. Generally, you have two years from the date of injury to file your claim. Some exceptions exist, such as cases where the injury was not immediately discovered. Acting quickly protects your rights and preserves evidence needed to prove your case.

How Our Athens Law Firm Handles Your Case

Our law firm has been practicing law for nearly two decades and knows how to handle complex medical malpractice cases. We start with a free consultation where we listen to your story and review your medical records. If we believe you have a valid claim, we take your case and begin investigating immediately.

We work with top medical experts who review your care and provide testimony about what went wrong. These experts are often practicing doctors who can explain to juries what proper care looks like. Their testimony is often the key to proving that malpractice occurred and that it caused your injuries.

Our practice focuses on getting you maximum compensation. We calculate all your damages, including future medical costs and lost earning capacity. We negotiate aggressively with insurance companies and are always prepared to take your case to court if they refuse to offer fair compensation. Our goal is justice for you and accountability for negligent providers.

Types of Injuries Caused by Medical Negligence

Medical negligence can cause catastrophic injuries that change your life forever. Brain injuries from anesthesia errors or surgical mistakes can leave patients unable to work or care for themselves. These permanent injuries often require lifelong medical care and support.

Birth injuries are especially heartbreaking. When doctors fail to respond to complications during delivery, babies can suffer oxygen deprivation leading to cerebral palsy or developmental delays. Mothers can experience serious injury from improper surgical techniques or delayed treatment of postpartum complications.

Some victims suffer wrongful death when medical errors prove fatal. When a healthcare professional fails to diagnose a heart attack, administers the wrong medication, or makes critical surgical errors, the results can be deadly. These cases require experienced attorneys who understand both the medicine and the law involved.

WONDERING WHY YOU SHOULD USE OUR ATHENS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAWYER?

Hiring a medical malpractice lawyer will help you level the playing field against insurance companies and doctors. Our Athens medical malpractice lawyers specialize in providing expert legal representation for surgical errors, emergency room mistakes, plastic surgery mishaps, anesthesia errors, medical errors, misdiagnoses, radiation injuries, electronic fetal monitoring injuries, birth injuries, pediatric meningitis, shoulder dystocia, brachial plexus injuries, fetal hypoxia, cerebral palsy, brain injuries, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death.

Our Athens medical malpractice attorney team has handled cases involving all types of medical negligence. We represent clients injured by doctors, nurses, and other health care providers who fail to meet accepted standards of care. Whether your case involves surgical errors, misdiagnosis, or birth injuries, we have the experience to help.

We understand that medical malpractice affects every aspect of your life. Beyond physical pain, victims face mounting medical bills, lost wages, and uncertainty about the future. Our firm fights to get you the compensation you deserve while holding negligent providers accountable. We work on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we win.

Our GA medical malpractice lawyer team serves Athens clients and patients throughout Georgia. We have nearly two decades of experience handling complex malpractice claims and have recovered millions for our clients. When you choose our firm, you get attorneys who care about your case and will fight for justice.

What to Expect During the Legal Process

Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit begins with gathering evidence. Your Athens medical malpractice lawyer will obtain all relevant medical records, consult with experts, and review your case thoroughly. Under Georgia law, we must file an affidavit from a qualified medical expert stating that malpractice occurred.

Once your lawsuit is filed, the discovery process begins. Both sides exchange information, take depositions, and build their cases. This phase can take several months, but is important for proving negligence. Your lawyer will keep you informed throughout and prepare you for what comes next.

Many medical malpractice cases settle before trial. Your attorney will negotiate with the defendant’s insurance company to seek fair compensation. If settlement talks fail, we are prepared to take your case to court. Having an experienced medical malpractice attorney ensures your voice is heard and your rights are protected.

Why Experience Matters in Medical Malpractice Law

Medical malpractice law requires specialized knowledge that most personal injury attorneys lack. You need a lawyer who understands medical terminology, can read and interpret medical records, and knows how to work with medical experts. Our experienced medical malpractice lawyer team has this knowledge and uses it to build winning cases.

We have relationships with respected medical experts across many specialties. These experts review cases, provide opinions, and testify at trial. Finding qualified experts who can explain complex medicine to juries is one of the most important parts of any malpractice case. Our firm has the resources and connections to get the best experts for your case.

Our GA medical malpractice attorney team also understands the tactics insurance companies use to deny claims. They may argue the injury was unavoidable, blame pre-existing conditions, or claim you contributed to your own harm. We know how to counter these defenses and prove that negligence caused your injury.

Compensation Available in Medical Malpractice Cases

Victims of medical malpractice may recover several types of compensation. Economic damages cover measurable losses like medical bills, future treatment costs, and lost wages. If your injury prevents you from returning to work, you can seek compensation for lost earning capacity. These damages are calculated based on actual expenses and projected needs.

Non-economic damages address the human impact of malpractice. This includes physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and disability. Georgia allows patients to recover compensation for these intangible losses, recognizing that malpractice affects more than just their finances.

In cases involving extreme negligence or intentional misconduct, punitive damages may be available. These damages punish the defendant and deter similar behavior. Your attorney can explain whether your case qualifies for punitive damages and what evidence is needed to prove this level of negligence.

FAQs by Athens Clients

Q. HOW DO MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEYS CHARGE FOR MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CASES?

A. Most medical malpractice attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if you win your case. This arrangement allows injured patients to pursue justice without paying upfront legal fees. The attorney’s fee is typically a percentage of your final settlement or court award. This means your lawyer has a strong incentive to get you maximum compensation.

Q. HOW DO I FIND OUT IF A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL HAS BEEN SUED FOR MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE BEFORE?

A. Public records and online databases can provide information on prior malpractice lawsuits against your doctor. You can also check with your state medical board, which tracks disciplinary actions and malpractice history. Looking into a doctor’s background before treatment can help you make informed decisions about your care. If you discover your doctor has a history of malpractice after being injured, this information can strengthen your case.

Q. WHAT IS MALPRACTICE INSURANCE?

A. Malpractice insurance is coverage that health care providers purchase to protect against medical malpractice lawsuit liability. This insurance covers legal defense costs and any settlements or judgments against the doctor. Most hospitals require their doctors to carry malpractice insurance. The insurance company, not the doctor personally, typically pays compensation to injured patients. Understanding who holds the insurance policy is important when pursuing a claim.

Get in Touch With An Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney in Athens, GA Today

Call Chance, Forlines, Carter & King at 404-760-7400 to schedule a free initial consultation if you require an Athens, GA medical malpractice attorney if you suffered a serious injury or medical injury because a healthcare professional failed to follow the standards in place to keep you safe. Our law firm welcomes clients from Athens and across Georgia.

Our Athens medical malpractice lawyer team has the experience and resources to handle complex cases involving surgical errors, birth injuries, misdiagnosis, anesthesia errors, and all other forms of medical negligence. We understand the medicine, the law, and the tactics insurance companies use to deny legitimate claims. When you hire our firm, you get attorneys who will fight for your rights and pursue the justice you deserve.

Don’t wait to contact us. Georgia law imposes strict deadlines for filing medical malpractice claims. The sooner you reach out, the sooner we can begin investigating your case and protecting your rights. Call today to speak with a GA medical malpractice lawyer who cares about your recovery and your future.

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