South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
We trust medical professionals to provide competent care. Unfortunately, patients do not always receive the care that they deserve. If you have suffered as a result of inadequate medical treatment, our skilled Miami medical malpractice attorneys can help. We understand that medical mistakes can have long lasting, even permanent consequences for a person’s life. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we are prepared to vigorously advocate for your rights every step of the way.
A 14-year-old girl went through a kidney transplant after having been diagnosed with end-stage renal failure. The girl filed a malpractice claim against two of her treating physicians and the hospital. According to the girl’s pediatric nephrology expert, the fact that the girl had suffered recurring urinary tract infections since she was a baby, coupled with her high creatinine levels, should have been red flags indicating kidney impairment that her doctor should have taken seriously.
In addition, the expert stated that the hospital negligently based the girl’s lab results on adult values as opposed to child values, and miscommunicated these values as adult values to the girl’s doctor. The jury ruled in favor of the plaintiff and one of the treating physicians was found 85 percent liable, while the hospital was deemed to be 15 percent liable. The other physician was not found liable at all.
Medical Malpractice in Florida
Medical professionals have an obligation to deliver a reasonable standard of care to their patients. When a patient is injured by a medical professional’s negligent act or omission, they may be able to recover compensation for their harm through a medical malpractice claim. Medical malpractice takes place when a patient is injured or killed due to a medical professional’s failure to use the level of care that a reasonably competent medical professional in the same specialty would have used under the same or similar circumstances.
Statute of Limitations in Florida Medical Malpractice Cases
As with any other type of claim, medical malpractice cases are subject to strict legal time frames known as the statute of limitations. In Florida, a plaintiff has two years from the date that the injury was discovered or should have been discovered to file a claim in civil court. As a practical matter, this means the statute of limitations begins to run when the person first learns that the malpractice took place rather than the actual date of malpractice. For example, if today a patient discovers a foreign object was left in his or her body during a procedure that took place two years ago, the statute of limitations would begin today.
Seasoned Miami Medical Malpractice Attorneys
If you believe that medical malpractice is to blame for your injury or an injury suffered by someone you love, we can help. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our experienced Miami medical malpractice attorneys understand how to navigate even the most complicated malpractice cases and hold negligent medical professionals accountable for the harm that they cause. Learn more about your legal rights and options by calling us today at 1-877-499-HURT (4878) or contacting us online.
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