Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Cases
Wrongful Death Case Statistics
- As many as 98,000 people die in United States hospitals every day as a result of human error (Institute of Medicine).
- Preventable medical errors kill more people each year than breast cancer, Aids and motor vehicle accidents (Institute of Medicine).
- Human error costs hospitals in the United States between $17 billion and $29 billion every year (Institute of Medicine).
Involved in a Wrongful Death Case?
If someone you know died at the hospital or other medical facility, it’s wise to speak with an attorney to learn about your options. This is true whether or not there were suspicious circumstances involved. The worst that happens in talking to a lawyer – the lawyer tells you that you don’t have a case. It’s worth the time and energy to investigate.
A human error as simple as administering the wrong dosage of medicine can lead to serious complications, including death. If a doctor, nurse or other hospital employee failed to take the necessary actions while your loved one was ill, your family may be entitled to monetary compensation.
A lawyer who has experience in wrongful death cases may be able to help in the following circumstances:
- Surgical death
- Death because of drug interactions or other drug complications
- Improper dosage of medication
- Death resulting from poor patient observation
- Death that occurs after hospital personnel fails to follow proper treatment protocol
- Death of your loved one for any reason while under doctor’s care
Lawyers Who Specialize in Wrongful Death
Wrongful death, per se, is not a lawyer specialty or even an area of the law. It is a specific injury within tort law. Most injury lawyers with a lot of experience have handled wrongful death cases. Wrongful death can result from medical malpractice, as this article discusses. Wrongful death can also be a result of car accidents, personal injury accidents, crimes, negligence, or a variety of other circumstances. Anytime someone dies in an accident, it is wrongful death. If there is someone to hold liable for that death, then you can have a claim for wrongful death.
An attorney who has experience in wrongful death cases will begin by reviewing the medical records of the deceased individual to determine whether medical personnel are at fault for the individual’s death. A wrongful death attorney may also consult with medical experts for second opinions.
The attorney must find duty, breach, causation, and damages – the elements of a tort. In essence, someone needed to have violated a duty to you which resulted in the harm.
If the lawyer determines that your loved one died as a result of negligence or medical malpractice, it is likely that a lawsuit will be filed. Throughout the duration of the lawsuit, the attorney will meet with you periodically, prepare you for court, negotiate with the opposing legal team, represent you during the trial and do everything in his or her power to ensure that your damages are paid for by the responsible parties.
How to Find a Wrongful Death Lawyer
As stated, specific statistics on wrongful death lawyers are not generally kept. Wrongful death is a specific kind of injury law. That said, our website provides information about injury lawyers, and it can be used to find wrongful death lawyers. If a member of your family died unexpectedly and you believe that medical personnel may be responsible for the death, don’t hesitate. Search the statistics to find experienced injury and malpractice lawyers. Call a number of lawyers to learn about their experience. You can also contact us directly to get assistance in finding the right lawyer for your case.