Westchester General Hospital is celebrating their 50 years of service aiding Floridan’s in Miami-Dade County. Since 1967, they have been providing top-notch care to their patients with the help of their exceptionally trained and dedicated medical professionals. They are located in the heart of Miami-Dade at 2500 SW 75th Ave, Miami, Florida 33155 and are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With the number of years in operation, patients receiving treatment and care at Westchester General Hospital would never think about the unthinkable: medical malpractice.
No one ever believes that anything bad will happen to them until it does. Medical malpractice is an action that could happen to any patient seeking medical aid even at the most prestigious medical centers in the nation. Skilled Miami, FL medical malpractice attorneys know that medical malpractice occurs much more often than people would assume due to the number of medical malpractice victims that call on a day to day basis.
Any medical provider can commit a medical error including cardiologists, anesthesiologists, registered nurses, and even OBGYNs. In fact, did you know that neurosurgeons account for about 20% of medical malpractice cases?
Those seeking aid at Westchester General Hospital can experience a variety of medical malpractice situations that can lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit. Some services offered at this hospital where this can occur include:
- Laboratory
- Mental Health
- Imaging
- Surgery
- Emergency room care
- General Hospital
Gaining knowledge through research and asking questions prior to your visit or procedure at any hospital are key assets that will help you in the near future when you are faced with a medical malpractice circumstance. The best way to avoid becoming a victim of medical malpractice is to become proactive. You do not want to go through the pain and suffering that a life-altering situation can cause on your life. You might not be able to perform the previous activities that you did and might not even be able to work again. How will you support your family? Learn more about the notion of medical malpractice with our experienced medical malpractice lawyers in Miami-Dade County.
What Are Some Important Terminologies Associated with Medical Malpractice?
There are crucial legal terms that many individuals need to comprehend when they have become victims of medical malpractice. Some important terms that our competent medical malpractice attorneys at Percy Martinez Law Firm want their clients to know include:
- Standard of care: In the medical world, standard of care is the accepted way in medicine that medical professionals should be caring for and providing treatment to their patients. In other words, they must do so the same way that another physician studied in the same area would have done had they been in the same medical situation as they were. This term is the basis for bringing about a medical malpractice lawsuit. Did your doctor fall below the standard of care?
- Statute of limitations: For any medical malpractice lawsuit and personal injury case, learning about the statute of limitations is crucial. The statute of limitations varies from state to state. The amount of time that you are given to file a lawsuit for medical malpractice after you were injured is two years. The two years starts counting down once you have discovered that medical negligence took a role in your care. You are given this breather because the law knows that many victims of medical malpractice will not discover the occurrence right away.
- Evidence: Evidence can come in the form of documentations, witness testimonies, or factual objects. Obtaining as much evidence as possible for a medical malpractice lawsuit can make the difference between a successful one or one that gets dismissed.
- Judgment: Judgment refers to the court’s decision. Will they award you for your damages? What damages will they give you? How much have they decided your claim is worth?
- Negligence: Negligence refers to a person failing to provide the care that another reasonable person would have in that situation. This part ties into the standard of care in medicine.
These are just some of the terminologies that you should become acquainted with. Our skilled lawyers at Percy Martinez Law Firm in Miami, FL have competent medical malpractice legal professionals that make sure that their clients understand all concepts tied with their medical malpractice case.
How Can I Reduce my Chances of Becoming a Victim of Medical Malpractice?
Our wise medical malpractice attorneys in Miami, FL have helped numerous victims of medical malpractice. Through our interactions with our clients, we have gathered information on ways that you could prevent yourself or reduce your chances of becoming a victim of medical malpractice. These are some of our suggestions:
- Verify medical professional’s license (Go here)
- Check reviews of the hospital/physician online
- Ask the medical provider whether they have had any previous medical malpractice lawsuits
- Don’t be shy; ask questions about the procedure you are going to undergo including the risks, any other possible procedures that you can go through, and the outcome that can come from it
- Visit the medical facility yourself and observe
Many actions can be taken by an individual to limit the possible outcomes of a medical malpractice situation.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong During My Care?
You might be frightened to learn that there are hundreds of possible situations that could go wrong during your care. These situations could lead you down a path of pain and suffering medical bills, and even loss of income. Some situations that could occur at Winchester General Hospital that can add up to a medical malpractice lawsuit can be:
Failure to prevent infection medical malpractice lawsuit: Acquiring an infection when you are at a hospital would be extremely shocking, yet it happens. Hospitals are lacking proper hygienic practices, doctors are failing to check patients for possible signs of infection, and miscommunication is affecting the swift action needed to treat infections of the patient. Just imagine that you go to the hospital and end up with an infectious disease like AIDs because a nurse used an equipment that was previously used for an AIDs patient and did not put it to sterilize.
Emergency room negligence medical malpractice lawsuit: Emergency room negligence plays a major role in medical malpractice cases. Medical malpractice misdiagnosis happens at a rate of at least 50% in emergency rooms. So, you are rushing to the hospital with complaints of extreme pain, yet, you are diagnosed for something else that is not what you really have. How crazy does that sound? Well, it happens frequently. A chaotic environment can attribute to this fact. ER medical providers are having to deal with a lot of stress and having to perform procedures in a timely manner. When things are done quickly, medical errors happen, but it is inevitable because they must act swiftly to save lives.
Not obtaining informed consent medical malpractice lawsuit: Every medical professional that intends on performing a medical procedure on a patient but obtain informed consent. Informed consent is the process of sitting down with the patient and describing to them the possible risks associated with the procedure they will be undergoing and any other option that they might have available. Acquiring informed consent during emergency room situations can provide difficult, which is also why medical malpractice is abundant in emergency rooms.
Improper use of medical equipment medical malpractice lawsuit: Hospitals and medical centers are filled with different medical equipment that are used to assist the healthcare provider. Birth-assisting tools, heart monitoring equipment, scalpels, sponges, and so on, are medical equipment that is often used. A vacuum and even forcep instrument used during the delivery of a baby that is not operated properly can end with the infant suffering a birth injury like cerebral palsy.
Some other negligent actions that could be taken by your physician include:
- Lack of testing
- Incorrect reading of test results
- Failure to monitor your vital signs
- Medication errors
- Surgical mistakes
- Mixing up your medical chart; and
- More
Were You Aware That…
- The third leading cause of death in Americans are medical mistakes?
- Roughly one-quarter of a million people die each year from medical malpractice?
- Misdiagnosis accounts for about 34% of medical malpractice cases?
- Errors with medication, “adverse effects”, will injure about 1.4 million people each year?
- Surgeons are the top specialists sued in medical malpractice claims?
- You will be misdiagnosed at least once during your lifetime?
- From 3,000 babies that are born, 24 of them will sustain a birth injury?
- Surgical mistakes, misdiagnoses, and errors in medication are the top three causes of medical malpractice?
- Emergency rooms are the top areas in hospitals where medical malpractice occurs?
- The average payout every year towards victims of medical malpractice is about 3.6 billion?
Are You Tired of Incompetent Medical Care?
Take action. If injuries came to you or your loved one while you were at Westchester General Hospital, file a medical malpractice lawsuit with the legal help of a Miami, FL Percy Martinez Law Firm Best medical malpractice attorney. When medical negligence comes to light, the damages can be disastrous for the patient. No one should have to suffer at the hands of an incompetent medical provider. You went there to receive help, not more problems. Get the justice you merit with our assistance. We will show you compassion and empathy.
References:
http://www.westchesterhospital.com/contact-us/\
https://www.oshmanlaw.com/legal-glossary/medical-malpractice/
https://flboardofmedicine.gov/
https://www.sidgilreath.com/learn/avoiding-medical-malpractice.html
https://corporate.findlaw.com/litigation-disputes/misdiagnoses-by-emergency-room-doctors.html