Snellville Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Snellville Medical Malpractice Attorney

Medical malpractice can have severe and lasting traumatic effects on survivors. Not only can it cause physical pain, but many patients also develop post-traumatic stress disorder. If you or someone you love has experienced this, contact a Snellville medical malpractice lawyer to navigate the next steps in your case.

Choose an Experienced Personal Injury Law Firm in Georgia

The Tolson Firm, LLC, has over 30 years of professional legal experience in helping Snellville, Georgia residents during their most difficult times. As proud Black attorneys, we work tirelessly to represent our clients as they seek compensation for all they’ve suffered.

Our mission is to make sure our clients feel safe again after suffering through trauma. Let us fight on your behalf so you can seek a better future.

The Reality of Medical Malpractice for Snellville Residents

Between 2020 and 2022, there were 6,341 legal claims opened against physicians in the United States. The highest number of claims was against primary care doctors, with 2,197 total claims filed. Common clinics in and near Snellville include the Gwinnett Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, Northside Primary Care, and Emory at Centerville.

The Piedmont Eastside Medical Center is the main hospital available to Snellville residents. However, the hospital only has a two-out-of-five-star rating for patient satisfaction. This survey is taken by real patients after they’ve received medical care.

Common medical malpractice cases include:

• Diagnostic errors. This happens when a doctor fails to correctly identify an illness or injury. This can lead to the wrong treatment or delayed care, which may make the condition worse or fatal, a devastating outcome often seen in cases of misdiagnosis.
• Medication errors. Too much medication or the wrong medication may be prescribed, which can kill the patient in the worst cases.
• Infections. Surgical instruments and other medical implements must be carefully sanitized. Patients can develop infections from unsanitary conditions.
• Surgical mistakes. While it may seem unlikely, these mistakes happen often. Surgeons may operate on the wrong body part or damage nearby organs. Sometimes, equipment is left inside a patient, or anesthesia errors occur.
• Miscommunication between doctors, nurses, labs, and patients. If these parties are not properly communicating, a patient can suffer intense harm.

State medical malpractice laws can be complex and hard to navigate for those without professional knowledge. When a medical error happens, be sure to hire a medical malpractice lawyer with years of experience. They can assist you in filing your claim at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, located at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville.

Georgia’s Comparative Negligence System for Medical Malpractice Cases

Georgia courts use a comparative negligence system to assign every party involved a percentage of fault. This means that the guilty parties only pay for their share of fault in the incident.

For example:

• If a surgeon operated on the wrong body part, they may be deemed 60% at fault for the incident.
• If the assisting nurse failed to correct this and assumed that the doctor got it correct, they may be found 10% at fault.
• If the hospital failed to uphold procedural protocol, they may be assigned 30% of the fault.
• If you were awarded a $100,000 settlement, the surgeon would be in charge of paying $60,000, the hospital would have to pay $30,000, and the nurse would be responsible for paying $10,000.

This also applies to situations where the patient had a role in the incident and resulting injuries. If you’re found to be partially at fault, your final settlement would be reduced by your percentage of fault.

Deadlines for Filing Your Medical Malpractice Claim in Georgia

In Georgia, if you think a doctor or medical professional was negligent, there are strict deadlines for filing your claim. Generally, you have to file within two years of when you knew or should have known about the injury.

Understanding the Georgia medical malpractice statute of limitations is critical, as cases have a five-year absolute limit for filing.. This means that, even if you discover the injury years after the initial incident, you can’t file if it’s been more than five years.

Only specific exceptions apply, such as cases of misdiagnosis or if new injuries appear after an initial symptom-free period. If you fail to file within the proper deadlines, the courts will most likely dismiss your case entirely.

FAQs

What Are Economic Damages in a Medical Malpractice Case?

Economic damages are a type of compensation that is requested in a medical malpractice case. These damages are based on the real losses you’ve suffered from the incident and are used to determine the compensation awarded. Economic damages are based on monetary losses and can include your medical bills and lost income due to missing work from your injuries.

What Are Non-Economic Damages in a Medical Malpractice Case?

Non-economic damages are a type of compensation that can be requested alongside economic damages. These are based on the emotional losses suffered from the incident. While more subjective to calculate, they’re just as important as economic damages. They’re calculated based on your subjective losses, such as pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.

What Are Punitive Damages in a Medical Malpractice Case?

Punitive damages can sometimes be requested in specific cases where the wrongdoer acted with extreme malice or negligence. For example, if an anesthesiologist was working while drunk and your incident occurred, they may be ordered to pay punitive damages to further punish them and deter any similar behavior from happening in the future. Besides cases of intoxication and intentional harm, these damages are capped at $250,000.

What Types of Evidence Can Strengthen My Medical Malpractice Claim?

Having as much diverse evidence as possible is key to a successful medical malpractice case. Courts rely on the evidence provided by both sides to make their final decision. Your Snellville medical malpractice attorney can gather professional testimony, which is required in medical malpractice cases, to give their opinion about what caused the incident. Be sure to provide your medical records. It can be helpful to include detailed, timestamped notes on your pain and suffering after the incident.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

When faced with a hospital or clinic’s team of lawyers, you need a strong legal advocate who doesn’t back down until you get a fair outcome. Contact The Tolson Firm, LLC, today to schedule your confidential consultation. We offer case evaluations for every new client.

While compensation can’t take away the pain of what happened to you, it can make your present and future easier to face.