Have You Been Injured As a Result of Medical Error?
IF SO, YOU NEED A TOUGH AND EXPERIENCED HOUSTON MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAWYER ON YOUR SIDE
If you’ve been wronged by a medical professional or facility, you need a Houston medical malpractice lawyer with compassion, experience, and the grit to get you the full compensation you deserve.
Doctors and nurses hold a position of authority and trust in our society. After all, we turn to them in our most vulnerable moments — when we or a loved one is sick or injured — and put our very lives in their hands. So it can be shocking when we are hurt as a result of their negligence. What’s even more shocking is how often medical professionals make mistakes. A Johns Hopkins study suggests that every year more than 250,000 people in the United States die due to medical error.
While being the victim of negligence or error can shake our faith in the medical establishment, we still rely on these professionals to keep us healthy and to fix us when we’re sick. And the vast majority of the time we are in good hands. But when we’re not, there is legal recourse: a medical malpractice case.
The Houston medical malpractice attorneys at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law are experienced in fighting against the medical establishment and winning justice for their clients.
HOUSTON MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEYS
What is Medical Malpractice?
We’ve all had experiences with doctors we don’t like and treatments that don’t work. These are not in themselves indicative of malpractice or negligence. In order for a situation to fit the legal definition of medical malpractice, a patient must be injured due to the failure of a health care provider to practice medicine within certain acceptable professional standards expected of any reasonable, prudent healthcare provider. All healthcare professionals are governed by this legal standard of care and may be sued for malpractice when they violate it.
Who Can Be Liable for Medical Malpractice?
The actions of doctors, dentists, technicians, nurses, pharmacists, hospital employees, hospitals themselves, as well as nursing homes and their employees can be held liable for medical malpractice. In some cases, more than one party (for example, a physician and affiliated hospital) may be held liable.
Statute of Limitations
In Texas, anyone injured by medical malpractice (or negligence) has two years to bring a civil lawsuit. The two-year clock usually begins on the date the injury was or – could reasonably have been – discovered, which in some cases is not necessarily the same day the patient was injured. If the medical error occurred during continuous medical treatment, the two-year statute of limitations “clock” starts the last day of treatment, or if the injury could have been discovered sooner.
COMMON EXAMPLES OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
By a Doctor, Surgeon, Nurse, or Hospital Can Include:
Birth injuries – Birth injuries can occur before, during, or immediately following the birthing process. These injuries can lead to permanent, debilitating conditions that significantly impact a person’s quality of life.
Delayed or ineffective treatments – Doctors and nurses are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of serious injuries. Once they see the potential for a health complication or medical condition, they must act quickly to provide adequate tests and treatments for patients.
Misdiagnosis – One of the most common forms of medical malpractice is misdiagnosis. Misdiagnosis can lead to expensive, unnecessary, and potentially harmful tests and treatments that worsen a patient’s condition or create new health problems.
Prescription drug errors – Prescription drug errors can happen at any point in the drug distribution chain, from manufacturing to filling of a prescription. Adverse drug reactions are one of the most common forms of medical-related injuries.
Surgical errors – Thousands of surgical errors occur every year in the United States. They include wrong side and wrong procedure errors, and leaving objects inside the bodies of patients.
Why Doctors Make Mistakes
There are several reasons why medical professionals make mistakes. Practicing medicine is a tough job that may include long, grueling hours and seeing large numbers of patients. Because of the demands of their jobs, healthcare professionals are often fatigued, and many experience burnout. This makes some doctors and nurses prone to error, and those errors can sometimes have a severe impact on a patient.
In some cases, medical errors are the result of miscommunication. A communication breakdown can occur between two doctors, between different departments within a hospital, or between two different facilities providing care to the same patient. For example, a doctor’s diagnosis might be misread by another doctor, a patient’s records can be misinterpreted or lost, or a doctor’s prescription can be wrongly filled by a pharmacist.
TERRY BRYANT MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEY
How A Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Houston Will Help
At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we have years of experience successfully holding doctors and other medical providers accountable for their negligence — and getting them our clients the compensation they deserve.
THE SKILLS, RESOURCES, AND EXPERIENCE THAT SET OUR MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEYS APART
We can handle medical malpractice claims related to a variety of medical errors.
We combine a deep knowledge of the law, years of experience in negotiation and litigation, a compassionate approach to our clients, and the tenacity to go up against large medical institutions — and win.
We patiently guide you through every step of the claims process—even if it means going to court.
We answer your questions and address your concerns thoughtfully and thoroughly, so you have the information you need to feel confident you’re getting the quality legal representation you deserve.
Due to the state’s statute of limitations, waiting to get help with your claim may put your rights to compensation at risk—so don’t delay. Our legal team is available 24/7.
WE CONDUCT RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND METICULOUSLY BUILD YOUR CASE
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU SUSPECT YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF NEGLIGENCE?
How to Cope WITH THE FALLOUT OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INJURIES
The Importance of Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim
Common Injuries and Statistics
Medical malpractice and medical error are terms that cover a wide range of mistakes. Their one commonality, of course, is that they are avoidable and the result of a medical provider’s negligence.
Common Injuries From Medical Malpractice
Studies by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and other respected organizations generally agree on the top five common results of medical malpractice, though not in identical order. They include:
Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose an illness
Surgical errors
“Failure to treat” - When a doctor correctly diagnoses a condition, but then fails to treat it via acceptable standards of care
Birth injuries - Against OBGYNs and birthing team members for childbirth-related medical mistakes to newborns and, on occasion, mothers
Prescription drug errors.
Medical Malpractice Statistics
In 2016, there were 8,500 medical malpractice claims filed in the U.S., according to the truecostofhealthcare.org. In 2017, truecostofhealthcare.org reported that the number of paid medical malpractice claims settled for at least $500,000 was:
A little over 2,500 cases against healthcare practitioners in general
And a little under 2,500 cases against specific doctors and dentists.
Medical errors are surprisingly common. If you are suffering the consequences of a provider’s incompetence, you deserve the money you need to get your life back on track — and the opportunity to hold the doctor or institution accountable.
Laws Related to Medical Malpractice
Texas CPR §74.251 – Statute of Limitations for bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit
Texas CPR §74.301 – Caps on non-economic damages awarded to malpractice claimants
