Dermatologist Malpractice

Dermatologists usually face fewer lawsuits than other health care providers. However, the skin is the largest organ of the body, and it is the first organ to defend against bacteria, disease, and other infections. Many people need dermatologists for such conditions as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. However, dermatologists are often the first to examine a cancerous mole. If you were harmed due to dermatologist malpractice, you should consult an experienced Ocala dermatology malpractice lawyer at the Dean Law Firm.

Dermatologists address many different types of skin conditions, including various infections. Some infections result from a bad cut or laceration, but others appear without any visible cause. Any skin infection can result in hospitalization and should be addressed by a dermatologist with care. Carbuncles are boils that develop within an infected hair follicle. MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, is an infection by staph bacteria that typically live safely on the top of human skin. Even a little opening in the skin, such as a patch of eczema that has been scratched, can permit staph to get into the body and cause an infection. Another skin disorder that dermatologists may see is Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, which is an unusual disorder sometimes caused by a medication allergy but is potentially life-threatening.

Atypical blemishes may need to be biopsied by removing the portion of your skin that has an apparently abnormal growth, since they can be signs of cancer. Sometimes the skin also shows other signs of internal damage. For example, anasarca is a condition involving skin that swells due to excess fluid. Often, it is accompanied by difficulty urinating. Anasarca can be a result of a hookworm infestation, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, liver failure, or malnutrition. A blood test can show whether anasarca is affecting a patient, but with a delayed or incorrect diagnosis, you may face hospitalization or death.

There is actionable malpractice when a dermatology malpractice attorney in the Ocala area can prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the dermatologist owed a professional duty of care toward you, the dermatologist breached the professional duty of care, and causation connected the breach to your damages. Not every mistake made by a dermatologist in diagnosing and treating skin conditions is considered malpractice. Furthermore, due to changing health insurance conditions, patients may not be able to see the same dermatologist frequently enough for the provider to keep track of changing moles and other warning signs on the skin of serious illnesses.

It is likely to be necessary for an Ocala dermatology malpractice attorney to retain an experienced expert to provide testimony on what the professional standard of care is for dermatologists when faced with the same or a similar situation in Florida. The prevailing professional standard of care for a given health care provider is the level of skill, care, and treatment that, in light of the relevant surrounding factors, is recognized as appropriate and acceptable by reasonably careful similar health care providers. An expert will also need to testify on how the breach of the professional standard of care caused the harm.

To qualify as an expert, the expert needs to be a health care provider who holds an active, valid license to practice medicine, and they must conduct a review of all of the relevant records. When the defendant is a dermatologist, the expert witness must also specialize in dermatology and have committed professional time during the three years immediately before the date of the event that is the basis of the action to active clinical practice or consulting with respect to dermatology, instructing students in an accredited residency or health professional school, or working in a clinical research program affiliated with the specialty.

At the Dean Law Firm, our experienced trial attorneys may be able to sue a dermatologist on your behalf if you or a loved one has been harmed by dermatologist malpractice. We also serve the families of patients who have died from medical malpractice in Ocala, The Villages, Crystal River, and other areas of Citrus, Levy, Sumter, Marion, and Lake Counties. Contact us at 352-387-8700 or through our online form.