National City Medical Malpractice Lawyer

National City Medical Malpractice Attorney

Adjusting to life with a permanent injury or disability typically requires dealing with complex physical challenges while simultaneously managing the stress of finding practical and financial assistance. If you’re a Californian whose injuries were caused by a healthcare provider’s carelessness, you should reach out to a National City medical malpractice lawyer who can help you secure the resources you need.

Types of Incidents That Lead to a Medical Malpractice Case

In 2024, there were 1,100 medical malpractice payments made in California. Medical errors can happen in many different settings, from emergency rooms to routine checkups in physicians’ offices, and leave patients with life-changing injuries that have a considerable impact on their quality of life and mobility. Examples include:

• Surgical errors. These refer to instances where a surgeon performs the wrong operation, operates on the wrong site, or leaves tools and objects inside a person’s body.
• Anesthesia errors. This type of mistake could be administering the wrong anesthesia before a procedure, giving a patient too much or too little of it, or failing to correctly monitor their vital signs.
• Medication errors. These errors include giving the patient the wrong medicine or the wrong amount of the correct one.
• Misdiagnosis. Giving a patient the wrong diagnosis or delaying the right one prevents them from getting the treatment they need before their condition worsens.
• Birth injuries. Mistakes and lack of proper care can lead to birth injuries that cause cerebral palsy, nerve damage, or other defects.

When It’s Medical Malpractice and When It Isn’t

It can be confusing for some to understand medical malpractice laws. It’s crucial to distinguish between a bad medical outcome and actual negligence. Not every unsuccessful treatment or worsening condition qualifies as malpractice.

The standard of care is at the center of malpractice claims. It might be malpractice if:

• A doctor fails to inform a patient of the risks and any alternatives to their procedure or treatment.
• A medical professional acts differently from how a competent doctor would under similar circumstances.

If a doctor ignores clear symptoms of a heart attack and sends their patient home, for example, this could lead to severe damage.

In medicine, outcomes are never guaranteed. For this reason, it likely isn’t malpractice if:

• A doctor follows correct protocols, but the patient still doesn’t get any better.
• A doctor performs their utmost efforts, but a patient experiences a known risk, such as an infection, following a procedure.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Trying to deal with the legal system alone while determining whether it’s malpractice or not can be difficult. However, this difficulty is compounded when you’re trying to recover from an injury. This is why you should hire a medical malpractice lawyer to guide you through this process.

Insurance companies for hospitals and doctors can be aggressive and often have large teams dedicated to denying claims or offering low settlements. An experienced attorney can level the playing field and build a strong case for you by:

• Investigating the incident
• Reviewing medical records
• Consulting with medical experts

We can handle the communication with insurers and fight to prove liability. Without legal representation, you could miss important deadlines or end up accepting a settlement that is too low to cover your long-term care needs. Professional legal help ensures your rights are protected throughout the entire process.

About Kenneth M. Sigelman & Associates

Kenneth M. Sigelman, J.D., M.D., is an experienced surgeon and physician who knows how healthcare professionals are supposed to conduct themselves and treat their patients. He and his associates bring a unique understanding of the medical field to medical malpractice cases, which is reflected in the multi-million-dollar settlements this legal team recovers for clients.

FAQs

What Are the Odds of Winning a Medical Malpractice Case?

The odds of winning a medical malpractice case are hard to pinpoint as a single percentage, because every claim is unique. When considering filing a claim, be mindful that insurance companies defend doctors vigorously. Your success will depend on the strength of your evidence, expert testimony, and how clearly you establish that your doctor acted negligently.

Working with a skilled National City medical malpractice attorney significantly improves your chances of a favorable outcome compared with filing alone.

Is It Worth It to File a Claim for Medical Malpractice?

It is worth filing a claim for medical malpractice because securing compensation tends to be the only way to afford necessary future care. Medical injuries can lead to massive hospital bills, lost wages, and expensive ongoing therapy.

A successful case provides financial stability for your family, and beyond the money, filing the claim holds negligent providers accountable. This action can force hospitals to improve their safety standards to keep other patients from suffering similar harm.

What Are the Four Things That Must Be Proven to Win a Medical Malpractice Case?

The four things that must be proven to win a medical malpractice case are duty, breach, causation, and damages. First, you must prove your doctor had an existing doctor-patient relationship with you (duty). Second, you must show that the doctor violated the standard of care (breach).

Third, you have to prove that this specific breach directly caused your injury (causation). Lastly, you must demonstrate that the injury resulted in actual losses, like medical bills or pain (damages).

How Much Do Malpractice Lawyers Cost in California?

Malpractice lawyers in California cost nothing upfront in most cases because they work on a contingency fee basis, so their clients don’t pay hourly rates or retainers. Instead, if you win, the attorney receives a percentage of the settlement or verdict amount. If not, you typically don’t owe attorney fees.

Costs vary depending on how complex your case is and what resources are needed to litigate it in the San Diego Central Courthouse on Union Street.

Hold Healthcare Professionals Accountable With an Attorney Who Understands

If you or a loved one suffered because of medical negligence, you deserve justice for the pain you’ve endured. Contact our office today to schedule your free consultation. Let us review your case, explain your options, and help you take the first step toward rebuilding your life.