Medical Malpractice Attorney in Savannah

When we seek medical care, we trust our providers to identify the cause of our symptoms and provide appropriate treatment and rehabilitation. However, a medical professional making an avoidable error in a patient’s treatment can have catastrophic consequences – including potentially life-threatening injuries or health complications. A patient who suffers harm due to a healthcare provider’s error may have the right to pursue compensation and justice through a medical malpractice claim.

If you’ve been harmed by negligent medical treatment, let Spiva Law Group help you demand accountability from those who hurt you. Our Savannah medical malpractice lawyers have advocated for the rights and interests of injured clients in Savannah for over three decades. With a focus on catastrophic injury cases, our team has specific knowledge and experience to leverage on our client’s behalf. We also purposely limit the number of cases we handle to give each client the attention and effort they deserve.

Our goal is to let our clients know we see them as people, not case numbers. That mission includes keeping them up-to-date on the latest developments and empowering them with the information they need to make the best decisions for their future.

Ready to get started with your case? Contact a Savannah medical malpractice lawyer at Spiva Law Group today for a free medical malpractice claim evaluation to discuss your legal options for seeking financial recovery.

What Is the Definition of Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider renders treatment to a patient that fails to meet the applicable standard of care in their case and causes injuries or medical complications. The specific details of the standard of care will vary from one patient’s case to the next. However, medical and legal professionals generally describe the standard of care as the treatment decisions and actions that other healthcare providers of similar training and experience would undertake in identical circumstances. Contact our medical malpractice attorney now.

What Are the Common Types of Medical Malpractice in Savannah?

Some of the most common examples of healthcare provider errors that can lead to medical malpractice claims include:

• Misdiagnosis: A misdiagnosis occurs when a physician or other healthcare provider identifies the wrong condition or disease as the cause of the patient’s symptoms.
• Failure to Diagnose: A failure to diagnose occurs when a healthcare professional does not diagnose a patient with a disease or condition or fails to render a timely diagnosis.
• Prescription Drug Errors: Medication errors can involve miscalculating the proper dosage, prescribing an unsafe drug, incorrectly filling a prescription, or administering medication to the wrong patient.
• Surgical Errors: Common surgical errors include performing surgery on the wrong patient or site, performing the wrong procedure, damaging tissues through unnecessary incisions, or leaving equipment inside a surgical patient.
• Hospital Errors: Hospital errors cover premature discharge, causing patient falls, or allowing hospital-acquired infections to occur.
• Birth Injuries: A birth injury refers to physical trauma or medical complications suffered by a baby or mother during or immediately after delivery.
• Anesthesia Errors: Anesthesia errors include administering too much or too little anesthesia and failing to monitor the patient’s condition during surgery.
• Defective Medical Devices: Surgeons may commit medical malpractice when they use known defective implants or medical devices or improperly insert an implant into a patient.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Medical Malpractice Case?

A patient might pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit against any healthcare provider who causes injuries or complications through their negligent decisions or actions.

Examples of medical professionals who may bear liability for medical negligence include:

• Physicians and osteopathic doctors
• Physician’s assistants
• Nurses and nurse practitioners
• Chiropractors
• Physical therapists
• Pharmacists
• Dentists
• Podiatrists
• Optometrists

How Do I Prove Medical Malpractice?

Proving that your healthcare provider rendered substandard treatment in your case may require you to present various kinds of evidence, such as:

• Medical records of your treatment or rehabilitation
• Providers’ notes
• Progress charts
• Prescriptions
• Diagnostic test results, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, bloodwork, or biopsies
• Eyewitness testimony
• Staffing records
• Surveillance footage

In most medical malpractice claims, you must present expert testimony from a healthcare professional in the same specialty as the provider you have sued. The expert will provide an opinion on the standard of care in your case, how your provider failed to meet the standard of care, and how that substandard treatment caused your claimed injuries or complications. Contact a Savannah medical malpractice lawyer today.

What Compensation Can I Recover with a Medical Malpractice Claim?

In medical malpractice lawsuits, you may have the right to seek compensation for medical bills and other losses you incur due to your injuries or health complications.

Your financial recovery in a medical malpractice claim can include money for your:

• Additional medical treatment and rehabilitation to recover from injuries or complications caused by the initial negligent medical care
• Costs of long-term disability care or replacement services
• Purchases of medical or orthopedic equipment or home renovations to install disability accommodations
• Past or ongoing losses of income from time you miss from work while recovering from your injuries or complications
• Loss of future earning capacity and employment benefits if you become permanently disabled from work
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma or distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life due to disfigurement, scarring, or permanent disabilities

How Long Do I Have to File a Malpractice Lawsuit in Georgia?

Georgia’s statute of limitations on medical malpractice cases typically gives you two years to file a lawsuit after receiving negligent care from a provider. However, the time limit may be extended or shortened in certain circumstances.

For example, the statute of limitations begins to run once an injured patient discovers or should discover their injury, postponing the deadline for up to five years. Minors also have additional time to pursue legal action. On the other hand, cases involving a foreign object left in a patient’s body only allow a year after it is discovered to file.

Contact a Savannah Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If you’ve suffered injuries or health complications due to negligent medical care, you deserve to seek compensation and accountability from the responsible healthcare provider. Contact Spiva Law Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our Savannah medical malpractice lawyers to learn how we can help you pursue a full financial recovery for your losses.