What Compensation Can Be Recovered In a Georgia Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?
Medical malpractice is a serious violation of the trust a patient puts in the hands of their doctor when they place their lives in those same hands. Despite advances in medical technology, a doctor or other medical provider’s careful attention and adherence to the medical community’s standard of care are crucial for a favorable outcome. Unfortunately, medical malpractice causes harm to far more patients than most people realize, with an estimated 250,000 deaths each year and a far greater number of serious injuries and worsened medical outcomes.
Taking on a medical malpractice claim may seem like a daunting prospect, but when a doctor’s malpractice causes serious economic damages as well as physical harm, the injury victim deserves financial accountability through a Georgia medical malpractice claim.
Proving Liability to Recover Compensation In a Georgia Medical Malpractice Case
Not all cases of unsatisfactory medical outcomes are medical malpractice, even if the patient isn’t happy with their results. The evidence in a medical malpractice case must meet the Georgia court’s standard of liability for the patient to recover the compensation they deserve through a medical malpractice lawsuit. Atlanta medical malpractice lawyers explain that to show medical malpractice occurred, the injury victim has the burden of providing evidence demonstrating the following:
- A doctor-patient relationship was in place at the time the incident occurred
- The medical provider owed a duty of care to the patient to treat them at the standard of care that is accepted by the medical community
- They violated this duty of care through negligence
- The violation of their duty directly caused the patient’s injury or a worsened medical outcome
- The patient suffered economic and non-economic damages from the medical malpractice
Compensation in Georgia medical malpractice claims is divided into two categories: economic and non-economic damages. A successful medical malpractice claim brings the injury victim compensation for their damages through the provider’s medical malpractice insurance, typically through a settlement, but sometimes through a jury award in court if the insurer fails to offer an ample settlement.
What Damages are Available In Medical Malpractice Compensation In Georgia?
When a doctor’s negligence causes harm, the injured patient can seek the compensation they deserve for the damages caused by the harm. The total amount recovered in individual cases varies, depending on the circumstances, but common compensation recovered includes the following:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses
- Future medical expenses for further treatment or corrective medical procedures
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Lost earnings
- Future income loss or reduced earning ability
- Compensation for pain and suffering
Depending on the type of harm caused by the medical malpractice, additional compensation may be available for catastrophic injury damages like loss of limb, the loss of an organ, scarring, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, or diminished quality of life. If medical malpractice causes fatal harm to a patient, their close surviving family member may recover wrongful death compensation.
How Can a Georgia Medical Malpractice Attorney Help Me?
A successful medical malpractice claim requires careful handling, with compelling evidence of the negligent medical provider’s liability and your damages, as well as meticulous attention to filing requirements, dates, and timelines.
Call an Atlanta injury attorney at Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC for legal representation by a law firm that achieves exceptional results for injured clients, including in complex Georgia medical malpractice claims.