Deerfield Beach Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Medical Malpractice Attorney Serving Injured Patients in Deerfield Beach
Patients should be able to trust that a doctor will be careful and take precautions to avoid unnecessary plaintiff harm at every stage of the healthcare process, from an annual checkup to the diagnosis and treatment of a serious condition to surgery in a hospital setting. However, healthcare providers make mistakes, and patients get hurt.
When a healthcare provider’s negligence causes a patient’s injury, that patient may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit under Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 766.102). If you sustained an injury, you should contact a Deerfield Beach medical malpractice lawyer to determine whether you are eligible to file a claim.
What is Medical Malpractice in Deerfield Beach?
Medical malpractice is also known as medical negligence, and it refers to a healthcare provider’s failure to provide the appropriate standard of care to a patient. In general, plaintiff must be able to prove the following elements in a medical malpractice lawsuit:
- Healthcare provider owed a duty of care to the patient (which is typically established as soon as the plaintiff became a patient under the care of the healthcare provider);
- Healthcare provider breached that duty of care;
- Healthcare provider’s breach of the duty of care caused the plaintiff’s injury;
- Plaintiff suffered damages.
The duty of care is a professional standard that is set based on the healthcare provider’s field and, typically, geographic location.
Common Types of Deerfield Beach Medical Malpractice Claims
There are many different types of medical malpractice claims, including but not limited to the following:
- Medication mistakes;
- Misdiagnosis;
- Delayed diagnosis;
- Surgical errors, including wrong site injuries, wrong patient injuries, and injuries caused by leaving a foreign body (such as a sponge) in the patient;
- Birth injuries;
- Laboratory errors;
- Medical record mistakes; and
- Unnecessary tests.
Statute of Limitations for a Florida Medical Negligence Lawsuit
It is important for any injured patient in Deerfield Beach to know that the medical malpractice statute of limitations is shorter than the statute of limitations for many other types of personal injury cases. While there is a four-year statute of limitations for many personal injury claims based on negligence, Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 95.11) specifically states that the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims in the state is two (2) years in most cases.
More specifically, any action for medical malpractice must be brought within two years from the date of the incident that caused the injury, or within two years from the date that the injury was discovered. However, even if an extended period of time passes before the patient realizes she has been injured, the claim still must be brought within four years from the date of the incident. The statute of limitations is only extended beyond this in cases where the negligence affected a child under the age of eight.
Contact a Deerfield Beach Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Were you injured as a result of a doctor’s negligence or another types of medical mistake? An experienced Deerfield Beach medical malpractice attorney can get started on your case today. Contact Leifer & Ramirez for more information.
