Something doesn’t feel quite right around the site of a surgery, well after the wound should have healed. You wake up in a hospital bed and look down at your right side expected stitches, only to find they are on the left side. These are some of the situations that victims of medical malpractice can find themselves in during their most vulnerable moments.
- How do I begin to address suspected medical malpractice?
The first thing that patients should do is make sure their condition is stabilized. Seek medical assistance, either on your own or through a family member or advocate. If you suspect that personnel were involved in the problem you are going through, you may want to find a new medical opinion on your condition.
- What counts as medical malpractice versus a simple medical problem?
Doctors and other health care professionals take oaths and follow procedures to keep a high standard of care for patients. Some situations cannot be resolved or avoided even by the most skilled or fortunate doctors. But if a situation should have been within a physician’s or facility’s standard of care, they may be liable for malpractice if the situation got out of control.
- How long do I have to act on medical malpractice?
The statute of limitations, or time limit for pursuing justice, in Georgia is two years from the date of a suspected injury or illness. This may apply to the date at which a patient learned of the problem. The same is true for wrongful death lawsuits regarding a patient who passed away as a result of poor care. An attorney can answer questions about medical malpractice more specifically.