Crystal River Medical Malpractice

With a population of 3108 in 6.8 square miles, Crystal River is located in Citrus County, Florida. The median household income in Crystal River was $35,503 at the last census. There are many hospitals, medical practices, and doctors in and around Crystal River including Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center, Seven Rivers Community Hospital, Oaks at Seven Rivers Community Hospital, and Oak Hill Hospital. Most patients do not have enough money saved up to address mistakes made by physicians and other health care providers that result in grievous injuries to them. Bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit allows them to recover their losses. If you have been harmed by a negligent health care provider, the experienced Crystal River medical malpractice attorneys at the Dean Law Firm can help you explore your legal options.

In order to sue for medical malpractice in Florida, you will need to establish a claim by showing: (1) a professional standard of care was owed, (2) there was a breach in the professional standard of care, (3) causation, and (4) damages. The health care provider must have breached the professional standard of care owed to the patient, and generally, to establish that there was a breach, it’s necessary to locate a medical expert who practices in the same field as the defendant doctor. You’ll need to show that but for the health care provider’s professional negligence, you would not have been injured. In most cases, it is only worthwhile to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit if there is significant harm to the patient and his or her family.

It is expensive to bring a medical malpractice case. Among other things, it costs money to retain an experienced and skillful expert. Even before suing for medical malpractice, it’s important to have a medical expert review the medical records to determine what the professional standard of care was, whether it was breached and whether there was causation. A seasoned medical malpractice lawyer in Crystal River can help you identify experts who may be able to assist you in supporting your arguments.

Breach of the professional standard of care can happen many different ways, but not every mistake is a breach in the professional standard of care. Common breaches in the professional standard of care include failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis, failure to treat, improper treatment, surgical errors, medication errors, and failure to properly monitor anesthesia. For example, if you go to see a doctor about a lump in your breast and he fails to conduct the proper differential diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer, and as a result your cancer progresses to stage 4 cancer, you may be able to sue for medical malpractice and failure to diagnose breast cancer.

A plaintiff needs to go through a reasonable investigation even before bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit and must comply with certain pre-suit procedural requirements. Florida Statutes section 766.104 requires a plaintiff to make a showing of good faith by obtaining a written expert opinion that says the plaintiff’s lawsuit has merit. A Crystal River medical malpractice attorney can assist you in taking the necessary steps to comply with this requirement.

In order to be a qualified expert, a witness must be a healthcare provider with a valid active license. When the defendant is a specialist, such as an oncologist specializing in breast cancer, the expert needs to specialize in the same area and must have been researching, teaching, or practicing in the same specialty for the three years immediately prior.

If liability is established, you can recover compensatory damages. These are damages intended to put you back in the position you would have been in had there been no medical malpractice. They can include medical bills for surgery or other treatment needed, lost wages, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, replacement services, out-of-pocket expenses, and mental anguish. When a patient dies as a result of medical malpractice, it may be possible for certain family members to recover wrongful death damages.

If you were harmed by professional negligence in Crystal River, the skillful trial attorneys of the Dean Law Firm can help. Call us at 352-387-8700 or contact us through our online form.