One of the most hotly debated issues in the whole heath care system debates involves tort reform. Tort reform, for those who don’t pay attention to politics involves putting limits on the amounts personal injury and medical malpractice lawyers can seek in damages, as well as limiting the circumstances under which lawsuits may be filed for medical malpractice or other negligent injury.

Shades of grey

While many see tort reform as a black and white issue from one side of the aisle or the other, we are hoping that more level heads will prevail in the end on this debate. On the one hand, some tort reform may be in order. Limiting medical malpractice suits would certainly cut the costs of our health care.

Still, while we would certainly admit that some medical malpractice lawyers pursue fraudulent or frivolous claims, the majority don’t. There simply isn’t any need to. There’s more than enough gross incompetence and obvious malpractice out there.

The problem with tort reform

There are several significant dangers to tort reform. The most obvious one, of course, is that it would deny due recourse, in many cases, for those who have been legitimately hurt by a doctor or medical facility’s gross negligence.

Many who support tort reform claim that the cost of medical care has become high because doctors, hospitals, and medical clinics find themselves in need of such high medical malpractice insurance. While we won’t deny that does bring the cost of health care up, we question whether removing the fear of a lawsuit will improve either the quality or the cost of health care.

Another problem with tort reform is that it would limit or eliminate your ability to sue for pain and suffering. If some have their way, you will only be able to sue to recover actual financial damages. In other words, the fact that one of your children died because the doctor goofed isn’t costing you anything, so you shouldn’t be entitled to any kind of compensation.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not implying that you can put a price tag on the loss or permanent damage to a love one, and we don’t know of any medical malpractice lawyers who would say so either. But unless our politicians are suggesting that we should start putting physicians in prison for malpractice (and as far as we know that hasn’t been suggested except in obviously intentional cases), allowing medical malpractice lawsuits is one of the best ways to assure that medical professionals do everything they can to make sure they’re doing their jobs right.

One of the most common reasons for consulting medical malpractice lawyers is that a patient has been misdiagnosed by their doctor. The problem is more common than you might think. According to a 2005 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, autopsy studies show doctors get the diagnosis wrong 10% – 15% of the time.

There are several early warning signs that can help you determine if your diagnosis was incorrect.

• The diagnosis doesn’t fully explain your symptoms. These days, everyone has access to information about diseases and their common symptoms. After receiving a diagnosis from your doctor, there’s nothing wrong with checking the facts for yourself. In fact, most doctors expect that you will get online and do a search for information about your disease. If the information you find refutes the doctor’s explanation, you may have been misdiagnosed.
• The diagnosis is based solely on lab results. If the lab tests show one thing, but the symptoms don’t match your diagnosis, it may be time to request a new test. Labs make mistakes, and not every lab can appropriately diagnose all diseases. Look for a physician that specializes in your illness, and ask to be retested.
• Your diagnosis isn’t based on lab results at all. If your research has shown you that a diagnostic test exists for a condition you’ve been diagnosed with, then you should have had the diagnostic test to prove your condition. If your doctor never ordered the test before beginning treatment, make sure you are tested by a qualified technician.
• Your symptoms aren’t getting better. Your doctor should prescribe treatment after diagnosing your illness. If you’ve undergone the treatment and the symptoms haven’t gone away, it’s a good sign that they are attacking the wrong problem. Some doctors don’t listen to patients when they complain of symptoms that won’t go away. They’re so sure of themselves and the correctness of their diagnosis that they simply refuse to believe a patient’s continued complaints.
• Your doctor explains away your symptoms. If you are tired of hearing excuses for why you’re in pain or having other symptoms, consider the fact that doctors are sometimes lazy and may not be fully listening. Some doctors tend to ignore symptoms that don’t fit easily into a diagnostic algorithm. You don’t have to stand for this kind of treatment. Check with another doctor to get answers.

It’s important to realize that doctors are human, and subject to error just like the rest of us. If you think you’ve been misdiagnosed, don’t hesitate to get a second opinion. It could save you time and money, but more importantly, it could even save your life.

Just because you have the facts on your side doesn’t mean you’ll win your case. Medical malpractice lawyers have to evaluate a number of factors when determining if it makes sense to bring a lawsuit. One of those factors is jury bias.

• People like doctors. Jurors tend to think highly of doctors and regard them as upstanding citizens who serve the public good. When doctors fail to provide the appropriate standard of care, jurors have a tendency to give doctors the benefit of the doubt, rationalizing away the action or inaction that resulted in injury or even the death of a patient.
• Malpractice has consequences. Juries understand that there are far-reaching ramifications for doctors who lose malpractice cases. Whether or not the physician is actually at risk of losing his job, his position in the community, and even his license to practice medicine, the fears can weigh heavily in a juror’s mind. Jurors evaluate what might be one bad decision and compare that to a doctor’s long career of helping people and saving lives. Many times juries favor the doctor’s position even if they believe there was negligence.
• Tort reform. The insurance lobby has convinced the public that tort law needs to be reformed. According to Evan Aidman, author of Winning Your Personal Injury Claim, “political action groups on behalf of physicians and insurance companies have propagandized that medical malpractice litigation is out of control and consistently results in unreasonably large awards to the plaintiff.”
• Community impact. The grassroots tort reform campaign has been so successful that juries often worry that by awarding damages to plaintiffs, they may actually be endangering their own ability to seek the doctor of their choice. News stories about the high cost of medical malpractice insurance causing doctors to leave certain areas have convinced people that large awards for damages are to blame.
• The financial reality. Research shows that medical malpractice payments were at an all-time low in 2009. In 2008, more than 80% of malpractice payments went to victims who sustained quadriplegia, brain damage or death. The total cost of tort cases is a miniscule percentage of overall healthcare spending, although many politicians and political action groups continue to distort their impact.

You should work with your attorney when evaluating the benefits of going to court versus settling a medical malpractice case. Although settling can be difficult because healthcare providers do not want to admit when they’re wrong, and they have little financial incentive to settle, your lawyer may recommend a settlement. Taking jury bias into account, it may be in your best interest to settle a case rather than take it to court.

Medical malpractice is a serious issue that can affect patients long after the case is settled. With ongoing needs for treatment and medication, expenses can drain savings accounts, cause people to go deep in debt, even result in bankruptcy. Suing for malpractice can be a difficult decision that requires working with specialized medical malpractice lawyers. The reasons people choose to sue over medical malpractice vary from person to person, but there are some common types of cases.

• The Agency for Health Care Policy Research released a study that lists the most common reasons for medical malpractice suits in an emergency room environment. 30% of the suits involved misdiagnosis, 20% of the cases were for failure to diagnose, and over half of ER-related medical malpractice lawsuits involved some kind of problem with the diagnoses.
• 30% of the money involved in the lawsuits were for heart attack cases.
• Diagnostic problems proliferate. According to Angela Dodd, Ph.D. and Steven Fitzer, J.D, authors of When Good Doctors Get Sued, the majority of malpractice cases involve misdiagnoses, diagnostic errors or delayed diagnosis.
• The top five diseases in terms of financial payouts include breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, heart attack, and appendicitis. Allegations of misdiagnosis, delay in diagnosis, and failure to diagnose are chief among the complaints for people filing malpractice in these types of cases.
• Correct and early diagnosis is key. In cases of heart attack and appendicitis, having an accurate diagnosis early on is critical to keeping patients alive. In the case of cancer, getting an accurate and timely diagnosis can make the difference between life and death, but it can also have an effect on overall health costs, pain and suffering endured by patients, and the potential for lost wages.
• Doctors are sued more often. According to data collected and reported by the National Practitioner Data Bank, 69.3% of the 237,835 practitioners reported to the data bank in 2006 were physicians (including M.D.s, D.O.s, residents, and interns). 13.3% were dentists and dental residents, 9.2% were professional and para-professional nurses, and 2.8% were chiropractors.
• Obstetrics-related cases, while not the most common cause for malpractice suits, have the highest average payout, at roughly $560,000.

If you or a loved one has been affected by medical malpractice, you should not wait to find out what you can do. There are statutes of limitations that may affect your right to sue if you wait. Consult a medical malpractice attorney to get some straight answers about the law, and understand your options.

Malpractice takes on many forms and can cover practically any procedure that you need to have done.  Here is a collection of real stories that happen to everyday people.  Some of these are odd, and all of them are sad.  For those that think this can’t happen to them, this collection will be an eye opener, since many celebrities are victims of abuse neglect and malpractice as well as the military and veterans.  All walks of life and income can be at risk with the wrong doctor.

1. DC Medical Malpractice and Patient Safety:  They offer advice on the over     diagnosis on breast cancer.
2. Protect Consumer Justice:  Are all the horror stories true?  They look at the stories and why you shouldn’t believe everything you reads.
3. Virginia Beach Injury Board:  Dennis Quaid recently sued for malpractice, and they look at the reason his children should have never been in danger.
4. Patient Advocare:  A story about a badly performed Lasik surgery.
5. Barry G. Doyle:  A list of some of the most common types of medical procedures that can go very wrong.
6. Medical Spa M.D.:  Here is some of the numbers about the amount of doctors that are sued for medical malpractice, and other information about the suits that are brought.
7. Plastic Surgery BH:  Gives some reasons emergency rooms have higher cases of medical malpractice.
8. Lawsuit Settlement Funding:  A bad cosmetic procedure gets a weird twist to the proceedings.
9. Boston Accident Lawyer:  An interesting case that combines both wrongful death and medial malpractice.
10. Medical Complaint:  A collection of stories from clients of a cosmetic surgeon that performed bad operations.
11. Medical Attorney Blog:  A video showing what can go wrong in gastric bypass surgery and information on the procedure.
12. Rasansky:  Information about vision damage and medial malpractice.
13. Amy’s Humble Musings:  A Lasik surgery gone wrong and the problems she developed having this done.
14. New York Personal Injury Blog:  A story about a buttock augmentation and how it went wrong for one patient and almost killed her.
15. Yeinjee:  A high profile case for Botox for very young patients.
16. Peach Pundit:  Veterans need to be tested for HIV and Hepatitis due to the negligence of this VA hospital.  Story cites the lack of sterilization of colonoscopy equipment by the staff as the reason.
17. Thai Med Blog:  A case in the US looks at what happens when doctors don’t listen to their patients and make labor and deliver complicated.
18. Anne Nahm:  Her cheek implant and removal caused her a myriad of problems including bone stuck in the implants.
19. Sepia Mutiny:  A review of a book by a doctor that looks at the commonality of malpractice in the US.  Provides information about cases briefly.
20. Celeb Legal Issues:  Heidi Montag went public with her bad surgery, and this looks at why the medical staff may be at fault.
21. Lasik Complications:  Several stories of the things that can go wrong with this very common procedure.
22. Okinski Law:  A video that showcases a case of dental malpractice for a man that only had 7 teeth.
23. The Injury Board:  A veteran was given a case of Stevens Johnson Syndrome, which is akin to being burned from the inside out.
24. Las Vegas City Life:  Information about a Nevada case where several contracted hepatitis.
25. Angry Dad:  He gives his own horror story, and others as well, about his dealings with a psychologist.
26. Fresh Widow:  She shares her horror story about hospice care.
27. Tort Deform:  Medical malpractice even has celebrity victims.  Glenn Beck’s story is highlighted here.
28. This Makes Me Sick:  A collection of medical malpractice stories.
29. The Pop Tort:  Several collections of stories of negligence by medical professionals.
30. Rose Speaks:  A Houston hospital has a case that is looked at in this blog.
31. Lawyers And Settlements:  One story of dental malpractice.
32. Bill Shrink:  This shows 12 of the worst cases of medical malpractice that have been told.
33. Holy Coast:  Even those in service can be victims of malpractice.
34. Mininno Law:  A sixteen year old suffocates in a hospital, and here is her story.
35. S.A.M.:  A woman is misdiagnosed and is given a mastectomy.
36. Maryland Medical Malpractice:  Spinal injections causes this tale of medical malpractice.
37. JD.MD:  Why fraud and deceit contribute to the number of malpractice cases and how it affects patients.
38. Vitals:  Another celebrity case involving the “Octomom” and her allegations of medical malpractice.
39. iePolitics:  Arrowhead Regional Medial Center was once a great example of fantastic health care.  Today, they are under massive accusations of abuse and malpractice.
40. 41. Perlmutter & Schuelke: A case that involves wrongful testicle removal.
41. Maryland Injury Lawyer Blog:  More celebrity cases that show their trials with neglect and medical malpractice.
42. Sandra Rose:  Shares the story of rapper Jai Jai with her medical malpractice during the delivery of her child.

Image Credits: Huib!

Medical mistakes can have tragic, sometimes fatal, consequences. Even though they are most often accidental rather than deliberate, these careless actions are still defined as medical malpractice. Patients who have been injured have the right to sue for monetary damages. Healthcare professionals and facilities carry insurance as protection to pay for these damages. Hospitals, doctors, nurses and other health care professionals can all be held responsible when medical errors are made. Each state has its own laws and statutes of limitations regarding how medical malpractice claims may be filed. Many types of malpractice span all areas of medicine. The following blog posts contain helpful information for anyone wishing to learn more about patients’ rights to file claims.

1. What is the Statute of Limitations in Childrens’ Medical Malpractice Cases?:The window in which a malpractice case can be brought on behalf of a minor child in the state of Virginia is discussed.
2. Medical Malpractice in All Fifty States: There is a separate entry for each of the states. Entry details include an overview of how malpractice cases are handled in that particular state with statute of limitations and award caps.
3. Indiana Malpractice Blog: A series of posts that give details of different types of medical malpractice cases that give victims the right to sue.
4. The Right to a Qualified Surgeon: Patients undergoing a surgical procedure have the right to a qualified surgeon. If a resident is performing the surgery it is to be done under the direct supervision of a surgeon.
5. Can a doctor put a disclaimer on his reports?: Doctors may place a note on reports indicating that they dictated the reports but did not read them. This does not get them off the hook for errors due to mistakes in the report.
6. A New Bill to Reduce Malpractice Cases Involving Lasik Surgery: Includes the details of malpractice claims involving doctors working in a Nevada clinic.
7. How to Report Neglect or Abuse in DC Nursing Homes: Nursing home residents have the right to proper medical care and treatment. The agency to report complaints to is listed.
8. Waking up Blind From Spinal Surgery: Blindness from improperly administered anesthesia is a top safety concern. There is legal recourse if the blindness is due to an anesthesia blunder.
9. Medical Malpractice Suit Arising From Complications Following Surgery: Complications may arise from a medical procedure. The hospital and doctors are responsible if they failed to properly monitor the situation.
10. Obstetrician Malpractice: Some common reasons for suits.
11. Don’t Be Afraid to File a Malpractice Claim: An attorney explains some of the reasons victims neglect to file claims for legitimate cases. He counters the reasons with explanations for why claims should be filed.
12. Hysterectomy Medical Malpractice: Explains the difference between an ordinary surgical risk and a complication resulting from negligence. A list of common hysterectomy risks is included.
13. Unnecessary Surgery: A woman is awarded millions in a medical malpractice suit. An unnecessary hysterectomy was performed on her.
14. Surgical Mistakes: A perforated bowel is a surgical mistake that can be prevented. Victims of this type of surgical mistake may have legal recourse.
15. Infant Wrongful Death: When a negligent diagnosis and subsequent wrong treatment results in death, the survivors are entitled to compensation.
16. Surgical Medical Malpractice: When a member of a surgical team does not perform their duty to an acceptable standard, medical mistakes occur. There are certain kinds of mistakes that can take place during surgery just as there are certain surgeries that are at risk for mistakes to be made.
17. Fertility Doctor Sued: The Medical Board of California is suing a famous fertility doctor for medical malpractice due to his negligence in implanting embryos in a woman with stage 3 ovarian cancer.
18. Suit Won Over Cancer Misdiagnosis: Patients have the right to a correct diagnosis. This woman was diagnosed with and treated for ovarian cancer when she really had cancer of the appendix.
19. Georgia’s Patients’ Rights Are Strengthened: The Georgia Supreme Court decided that there would be no caps on jury awards in medical malpractice suits.
20. Weak Malpractice Cases: Even though a patient may have a valid claim involving malpractice there are some factors that weaken the claim. Some of these can be avoided if the patient is well-informed.
21. The Radical Treatment Recommended Was Unnecessary: A woman is correctly diagnosed with breast cancer. Because the biopsy results were misinterpreted she underwent a radical mastectomy rather than the less intrusive surgery usually recommended.
22. Burns Sustained From Lasar Hair Removal Results in Lawsuit: Improperly administered nonsurgical procedures can cause harm and give the victim the right to sue for damages.
23. Filing a Timely Claim Against a New York Municipal Hospital: There is a 90 day window to file a Notice of Claim against a municipal hospital in New York.
24. Improper Delivery Leaves Child Disabled: A delay during the delivery of an infant left him disabled. The jury awarded $12 million in this case.
25. Georgia ER Gross Negligence Statute Declared Constitutional: Victims of emergency room negligence have a high burden of proof to recover damages in Georgia.
26. Emergency Room Doctors Fail to Diagnose Life-Threatening Condition: Doctors in an Illinois emergency room failed on several counts to care for a patient. The man was sent home where he later died.
27. Injuries Sustained From a Fall May Be Medical Malpractice: When someone falls in a healthcare facility due to lack of proper supervision it can be deemed medical malpractice. At-risk patients have a right to vigilant care.
28. New Federal Legislation to Protect Medical Malpractice Rights of Armed Services: New legislation is on the horizon that will allow the men and women who serve in the military to recover damages due to careless medical treatment. As it stands now, they are unable to sue the government for damage.
29. $1 Million Award in Negligent Nursing Case: The nurse overlooked the warning signs of pain medication overdose and continued administering the medication. The patient died as a result.
30. Failure to Diagnose Can Result in Malpractice Suit: When tests are improperly administered or the results incorrectly read, important facts about disease and illness are missed. Serious repercussions resulting from these mistakes entitle the victims to pursue malpractice claims.
31. Medical Malpractice Rights: Patients have the right to expect doctors, nurses and healthcare facilities to provide safe and adequate care.
32. CT Technicians Disregard Cause Death: The CT technicians ignored the patient’s complaints of breathing problems and proceeded with the test. The man died during the test and his widow was awarded $6.2 million.
33. Michigan Malpractice Opinion: Maryland and Michigan are compared in one area of medical malpractice law.
34. Five Tips for Malpractice Claims: Ways to protect legal rights and succeed in a medical malpractice claim.
35. Hospital Errors and Medical Malpractice: Some common errors that occur over which victims have a right to file suits. Patients have the right to expect that mistakes will be prevented.
36. Failure to Administer Antibiotics Results in Brain Injury: Doctors failed to treat an infant’s infection resulting in the baby contracting meningitis. Brain damage was caused by the illness and the jury awarded $7.4 million.
37. Common Errors Resulting in Medical Malpractice: There are four common types of medical malpractice claims; cerebral palsy birth injury, birth injuries, failure to diagnose cancer, surgical error.
38. Lawsuit Results From Wrong Implants: Patients have the right to be protected from a doctor’s poor judgment. In this case, the doctor realized she did not have the correct implants after the patient had already been anesthetized. She used different ones after consulting the woman’s fiancé.
39. Informed Consent: An explanation of what “informed consent” means under Louisiana law and how it relates to medical malpractice.
40. Texas Malpractice Caps: Do the medical malpractice caps violate the patients’ constitutional rights?
41. Georgia’s Statute of Limitations: Georgia has a two-year limitation on filing medical malpractice lawsuits. There are few exceptions to this law.
42. Malpractice Involving Strokes: Many times strokes are preceded by TIA. Doctors are guilty of medical malpractice when they do not treat these early symptoms and the patient suffers a debilitating stroke.
43. Medical Negligence and Informed Consent: The different types of negligence that fall under medical malpractice are listed. An explanation of why an informed consent waiver does not get the doctor off the hook for malpractice claims.
44. Virginia’s Malpractice Liability Caps: Details of Virginia’s award caps and how they affect the victim are discussed.
45. Nursing Home Fall Results in Lawsuit: A nursing home was sued for failing to attach an alarm to a patient who was a fall risk. The patient fell and died as a result of the injuries.
46. Contaminated Medical Equipment and Malpractice: Patients have the legal right to be protected from contracting disease from contaminated medical equipment.
47. Medical Malpractice Victims Right Protected: An explanation of this Washington Supreme Court decision. This decision ends the special protection doctors and hospitals have received.
48. Surgical Errors: Some common surgical errors that result in victims filing lawsuits for damages.

Image Credits: [lauren nelson]

Medical Malpractice does happen. Although many people say it won’t happen to them, unfortunately they find themselves looking for an attorney. Wrong side surgeries, wrong prescriptions given, all these are instances of cases that can go before a judge. Knowing you have a good attorney on your side is important for your peace of mind. Researching attorneys and finding ones with experience can be a daunting task at times. Read here to find several places on how you can find an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice. Hopefully you will never have to look for one. If you do, here are some links to help you in your search.

1. Hip Replacement Gone Wrong Read here about a lawyer who helps a patient when their surgery went wrong.
2. New York Meet one lawyer who handles malpractice cases and see what types of cases he takes.
3. Virginia Look here to see a few malpractice cases and how you can meet an attorney to help you in your case.
4. Statute of Limitations Read about when this takes effect with medical malpractice cases.
5. Cases Read here about cases and why you should hire a lawyer in the case of medical malpractice.
6. Attorney Source Here is a link to help you search for certified attorneys in your state that handle these type cases.
7. FAQ Learn in what cases you need an attorney and how to find one if needed.
8. Finding Help One person shares where you can find a list of lawyers in your state or questions you need to know before finding them.
9. Mistakes Even hospitals make mistakes, so you should be prepared to handle them if one happens to you.
10. Misdiagnosing This is one instance you may want to consider hiring an attorney. Read here to find more cases you may need legal help.
11. Medical Malpractice Learn what it is and why you should contact a lawyer.
12. Finding Help You can read here about finding help with your case and see other cases tried.
13. Find an Attorney Here you will find help on getting a malpractice attorney in your area, as well as, learning what malpractice really is.
14. Cases Here are a few cases that have happened also helpful information if you feel you have been involved in a case of medical malpractice.
15. Getting Help When looking for help, look here to see cases and also tips to help you decide what you should do.
16. Facts Learn the facts about medical malpractice and how you can protect yourself.
17. Tips Here you can look at other people who are looking for lawyers as well. Their case may be similar to yours.
18. Misconceptions Read about some common misconceptions when talking about medical malpractice lawsuits.
19. Dental Malpractice Here are a few tips on finding a lawyer to help with dental malpractice cases.
20. Cases Doctor’s mistakes and other causes for medical malpractice cases are reasons for you to look for a good attorney.
21. Stories Learn from other people who have filed cases and how they found their lawyers.
22. Insurance Read about the truth in medical malpractice and your insurance.
23. FAQ on Medical Malpractice Get the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions dealing with malpractice.
24. Helping Victims Here are a few tips for victims of medical malpractice.
25. Find an Experienced Attorney Look here for tips on finding the right attorney for your case.
26. Top 10 Here are the top ten tips on finding an attorney and dealing with medical malpractice.
27. Your Rights Know your rights when it comes to medical malpractice cases and find yourself a good attorney.
28. Tennessee If you are in Tennessee, look here to find some great tips on finding the lawyer you need.
29. Interviewing When talking with a lawyer, keep these tips and questions in your mind.
30. Four Elements Read about the four elements in a medical malpractice case and what you should know before hiring your lawyer.
31. Expert Find out if you need an expert stating that you have suffered from a malpractice case.
32. Kaiser Permanente If you are going against Kaiser Permanente, here are some suggestions on hiring a lawyer to go against them.
33. Nursing Home Case Cases like this are why you need to make sure you have a good attorney on your side.
34. Never go to Trial Find out why most cases never go to trial and how to make sure your lawyer is the right one for your case.
35. New York When you are in New York, here are a few tips and things you should know when looking for a lawyer.
36. Questions Here are several questions to ask your lawyer when you are considering hiring them.
37. Cap A cap has been placed on how much money people could receive in these type of lawsuits, but one judge said it is unconstitutional. Find out how this could affect your case.
38. What Your Lawyers Should Know Find out here what they should be able to tell you and what they should know to make them a good lawyer and not one of the fraudulent ones.
39. Take Note Here are a few things you should note in your case. These are things you should make record of if they happen to you.
40. Legal Tips These are things to take into consideration when looking for your attorney.
41. Look For These are tips on what to look for in your prospective attorney.
42. Help Find help here on looking for an attorney and what you should know before hiring.
43. Ohio For those in Ohio, look here for tips on finding the right malpractice attorney in your area.
44. How Can They Help? Learn how a lawyer can help you and what you should know when looking for one.
45. Finding the Right One Answers to the question how do I find the right attorney for me and more are found here.
46. Know Your Rights When it comes to malpractice issues, it is important to know your rights as a victim and to find the right attorney to fight for those rights.
47. Common Types Here are some examples of the common types of malpractice cases you will see.
48. Do I Have a Case? Read here to find out if you have a true medical malpractice case.
49. Claims and Damages Learn here about the claims and what damages you may be able to pursue and to see if your case is one that can go to trial.
50. Choosing Your Attorney Find helpful information here on choosing the attorney to help you with your malpractice case.

Image Credits: crucially

Medical malpractice is not a joke. It is a serious situation that millions of people face every single day. Doctors make mistakes and, too often, patients suffer from those mistakes in a physical manner, sometimes, even with death. Medical malpractice is something that needs to be addressed by society and responsible parties need to be held accountable when necessary.

Making the decision to file a medical malpractice suit can be confusing. Whether you are the victim of medical malpractice or you know someone who is, determining the needed steps to take next can be difficult. The following articles offer tips, advice and specific case information to compare your own situation with so you can decide what you need to do next.

1. Chicago Resident Victim of Malpractice – Informative article about one person’s suspicions of malpractice and what you should do if you suspect the same.
2. Medical Justice – Discussion of frivolous malpractice lawsuits and what can be done to avoid them.
3. Signs of Misdiagnosis – Information about things to be concerned about that may indicate a wrong diagnosis.
4. Medical Malpractice/Professional Negligence – Information about malpractice in Maryland, including information about the statute of limitations and wrongful death.
5. Lawyer Assists Uninformed Woman Seek Damages – Information about a specific case and the steps that were taken to justice.
6. Find a Malpractice Attorney – Information on the steps to find a Tennessee medical malpractice attorney.
7. Attorneys Overcome Bias in Favor of Doctors – Informative information about ways  your malpractice attorney can overcome a bias jurors have towards doctors on trial.
8. Waiting Game Causes Pain – One family’s experience with emergency room services and their final decision about malpractice.
9. Sometimes All It Takes is a Simple Apology – Discussion of the importance and risk of an apology in a malpractice suit.
10. Five Reasons to Suspect Wrongful Diagnosis – Information about things to look for that might indicate malpractice.
11. What is Medical Malpractice? – Information defining medical malpractice and other specifications about malpractice.
12. NY Medical Malpractice and Accidents – Information about specific cases dealing with malpractice, good for comparisons to your own malpractice situation.
13. How Lawyers Evaluate Your Medical Malpractice Case – Information about what you can expect in the evaluation process of malpractice cases.
14. Anatomy of Medical Negligence Suit – Three part article about the specifics of a malpractice lawsuit.
15. HS Injury Law – Information and tips on what malpractice is and how to find an attorney, includes links to other information.
16. Medical Malpractice FAQ – Helpful information about medical malpractice.
17. Medical Malpractice Damages – Brief overview of the possible entitlement of damages to victims of malpractice.
18. Birth Injuries – Information about birth injuries and birth injury malpractice suits.
19. Birth Injury Compensation – Details of a specific malpractice case surrounding a birth injury.
20. Types of Medical Malpractice – Specific types of malpractice that you can watch out for.
21. Medical Malpractice Alerts – Information about malpractice and what you should do if you suspect malpractice.
22. Failed to Produce Evidence of Causation – Specific case information about lack of evidence in a malpractice case and other malpractice cases in Georgia.
23. Failure to Diagnose – Information about failure to diagnose medical conditions.
24. Many Florida Doctors Have no Malpractice Insurance – Informative article about the lack of malpractice insurance by doctors in Florida and other malpractice articles for gaining information.
25. Third Degree Burns from Surgical Malpractice – Case specific information of one woman’s malpractice situation and information about other surgical malpractice procedures.
26. Medical Errors Should be Reported to Improve Safety – Information about laws regarding the reporting of errors in hospitals.
27. Military cannot be Sued for Malpractice – Information and video about military malpractice situations.
28. Trimming the Fat on the Medical Malpractice Beast – Information about the slow process of obtaining medical records in lawsuits.
29. Is Expert Evidence Always Necessary – Information about the need for expert evidence in malpractice cases.
30. The Whole Truth about Medical Malpractice and Insurance – Information containing facts about malpractice that you may not know.
31. Medicine is an Art, Not a Science – Informative article about the so-called art of medicine and surgical checklists to prevent malpractice.
32. Treating the Medical Hit-and-Run – Information about malpractice and what you should do.
33. Warning about Teaching Hospitals – Discussion of the “July Effect” on teaching hospitals and to avoid them in order to avoid malpractice.
34. Complexities of Medical Malpractice Lawsuits – Discussion of the complex details of malpractice lawsuits.
35. Illinois Supreme Courts Interprets Medical Malpractice Law – Information about the interpretation of the malpractice law.
36. What the Law Says about Medical Malpractice – Information about the laws regarding medical malpractice.
37. Liability Caps Hurt the Victims After their Injury – Information about Virginia liability caps imposed on malpractice cases.
38. Medical Malpractice Myths – Discussion about the myths of medical malpractice.
39. Understanding Surgical Errors – Helpful information about surgical errors, including time statutes and what you need to do.
40. Can Providing Too Much Care be Grounds for Medical Malpractice? – Article discussing too much patient care, such as unnecessary testing.
41. New Ways to Settle Malpractice Lawsuits – Discussion of alternative ways to reach a settlement in medical malpractice suits.
42. Myths of Medical Malpractice – Information about malpractice myths, including frivolous lawsuits and driving up healthcare costs.
43. Georgia Statute Limits Child’s Financial Recovery in Lawsuits – Discussion of Georgia statutes imposed on medical malpractice lawsuits.
44. C-Sections Have their Medical Risks, Too – Information about the risks of Cesarean deliveries.
45. Overview of Indiana Medical Malpractice Law – Information about the malpractice laws in Indiana.
46. What am I Releasing by Signing a Settlement Release? – Information about settlement releases and what they mean to you in a malpractice lawsuit.
47. Wrongful Death from Misdiagnosis – Information on wrongful deaths and what misdiagnosis means.
48. Cerebral Palsy Statute of Limitations – Information and video discussing the statute of limitations for cerebral palsy malpractice cases.
49. Informed Consent and How it Applies to Medical Malpractice – Discussion about informed consent laws.
50. Minnesota Dental Malpractice Lawsuits – Information about malpractice lawsuits in the dentistry field.