There’s a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding around medical malpractice. And for many victims of medical negligence, this misinformation can create an even bigger obstacle on the path to justice. To help clear any confusion and debunk some common myths surrounding medical malpractice, we’ve broken down five of the most pervasive misconceptions.
Myth 1: You Can Sue Any Doctor For Anything
The reality is that in order to have a valid medical malpractice case, you must have suffered an injury caused by a doctor’s negligence or incompetence. Even if you feel like something was done wrong during your treatment or procedure, unless it resulted in harm or injury, it may not qualify as medical malpractice. It’s important to remember that not every mistake made by a doctor is considered malpractice; only those that result in harm or injury constitute malpractice as per well-known family medicine specialist, Dr. Francene Gayle.
Myth 2: All Doctors Get Sued For Malpractice Eventually
This statement simply isn’t true—the vast majority of doctors will never be sued for malpractice in their lifetime. Unfortunately, when there are cases of medical malpractice, the victims can suffer serious physical and emotional trauma due to the actions of one negligent doctor. However, it’s important to remember that these cases represent a very small percentage of practicing physicians across the country.
Myth 3: It Takes Too Long To File A Case Of Medical Malpractice
Actually, most states impose a statute of limitations laws on how long someone has to file a claim after they’ve been injured due to alleged medical negligence. In some states, this period may be as short as one year after discovering the injury. It is important for anyone who believes they were injured due to medical malpractice to contact an experienced attorney right away so they don’t miss out on their rights under state law.
Myth 4: All Medical Malpractice Cases End With A Large Settlement Award
Again, this isn’t necessarily true—not all cases end with large settlement awards or verdicts from juries because not all injuries are permanent or life-altering in nature. In fact, some cases result in no payment at all if the evidence does not support a finding of liability against the healthcare provider involved in treating the patient. A good lawyer can help determine whether there’s real value in pursuing a case based on his/her review of the facts and evidence available related to it.
Myth 5: You Don’t Need An Attorney To File A Medical Malpractice Claim
While technically it may be possible for individuals without legal representation to file such claims on their own behalf, having an experienced attorney representing them greatly increases their chances at obtaining financial compensation due to their injuries or losses resulting from alleged medical negligence or incompetence by healthcare providers involved in their care and treatment process prior to being injured. Having an experienced attorney who knows what evidence is required and how best to present it is key when filing such claims and seeking financial compensation for damages suffered by victims of medical negligence.
Summing up
If you believe you have been harmed as a result of someone else’s negligence—whether intentional or unintentional—it’s always best practice to contact an experienced lawyer who specializes in personal injury law so he/she can help evaluate your case and guide you through next steps towards filing your claim if applicable.
