Although medical personnel often treat patients with the best intentions and follow established standards, they are still human and prone to errors. When a medical professional’s actions fall below the standard of care, and lead to harm, you might have the grounds for a lawsuit.

If you have sustained serious harm due to a medical practitioner’s negligence, you have the right to hold them accountable and make them pay for your suffering. At Rousseau & Ross, our Lebanon medical malpractice lawyer can help you through the filing process while providing the competent legal guidance and representation you need to recover compensation. Contact us to speak with a local personal injury attorney about initiating a medical negligence suit.

What Are the Grounds for a Malpractice Suit?

Medical malpractice claims typically fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, or failure to diagnose
• Medication dosing, prescription, or administration errors
• Surgical errors
• Failure to obtain informed consent from the patient
• Birth injuries or complications involving either mother or child
• Emergency room mistakes
• Wrong medical treatment plans

These often lead to significantly worsened health conditions, such as sepsis, amputations, hospital-acquired infections, birth defects, organ failure, and even death. It is not unusual for victims of medical negligence to suffer unnecessary complications that increase their discomfort and pain, as well as force them to stay in the hospital for longer than is necessary.

This is not fair to you or your loved ones. Talk to an experienced medical malpractice attorney in Lebanon, NH about your options and start the process of your financial recovery today.

Standard of Care and Its Impact on Your Malpractice Claim

The standard of care is the single most impactful element in your case and the basis of your medical negligence claims. It is important to establish this because not all poor medical outcomes qualify as malpractice. For instance, if a patient’s cancer still spreads and their condition worsens after the doctor recommended and administered chemotherapy, the doctor cannot be sued because that is the standard treatment protocol for that type of cancer.

Therefore, before your claim can qualify, it must demonstrate that the at-fault medical practitioner failed to meet the standard of care established by recognized authorities in the same discipline. Specifically, the plaintiff must establish that the defendant breached their duty of care by deviating from recommended clinical guidelines, proven research, and hospital facility protocols, causing you significant injuries or damages.

To prove this, you may need to engage the services of an expert witness who is often a medical professional with the same qualifications to clarify the standard of care and what they would have done in a similar situation. This is no small feat and often requires the help of a skilled medical negligence lawyer to make that possible.

Claim Filing Deadline for Medical Negligence Cases

Under New Hampshire RSA § 508:4, individuals filing a malpractice suit must bring legal action within three years of the incident. However, there is a discovery exception, which allows you to bring legal action from the date when you find out that you were a victim of the healthcare professional’s mistakes.

Contact a Lebanon Medical Malpractice Attorney for Guidance

It is unfair that, in addition to your illness or injury, you also had to suffer the consequences of a medical personnel’s negligence. Let us help you make this right. Our Lebanon medical malpractice lawyer at Rousseau & Ross can provide aggressive advocacy for your compensation.

Call now to schedule a free case evaluation. We can determine if you have grounds to sue for a malpractice claim and what kind of evidence can be presented.