Do I Have a Florida Medical Malpractice Case?

Do you think you may have a Florida medical malpractice case?

Every year, thousands of Florida residents become victims of medical malpractice. In fact, five to ten percent of hospital patients experience some type of medical error during their hospital stay.

How do you know if what you experienced is medical malpractice? West Palm Beach medical malpractice attorney Craig Goldenfarb says there are two criteria that determine whether a medical provider has committed medical malpractice:

  1. A medical provider acted negligently or in a way that deviates from the accepted standards of practice
  2. The act caused an injury or death

It is easy to tell that malpractice has occurred if surgery was done on the wrong side of the body, if a prescription was filled with the wrong drug, or if a sponge was left in the body during surgery. But not all cases are so clear cut. Suppose your loved was diagnosed with a late stage cancer. The diagnosis came too late for treatment. Is it the doctor's fault?

This depends. If the doctor ordered all the standard tests, but it was too late because your loved one waited too long to seek treatment, then you don't have a case. But what if your loved one insisted something was wrong and the doctor put her off with, "You're fine. It's just stress. Go get a massage."? You certainly could have a case. It is a doctor's job to test for causes of any possible symptoms.

Here are some examples of common types of medical malpractice in Florida:

  • Diagnostic errors: misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, cancer misdiagnosis
  • Delayed treatment
  • Labor and birth injuries
  • Surgical errors and injuries
  • Anesthesia errors
  • Prescription and medication errors
  • Inappropriate conduct of a physician or health care provider
  • Patient neglect, mistreatment and nursing home abuse

If you have any questions about whether your experience is medical malpractice, contact a West Palm Beach medical malpractice attorney. Craig Goldenfarb offers free consultations. Call the Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb at 800-GOLD-LAW to schedule an appointment.