Patients depend on doctors and other medical professionals for their health and well-being. When a patient puts their life in someone else’s hands, they deserve to receive the best possible care and treatment. Too often, however, patients find themselves the victims of medical negligence. It has been estimated that more than 225,000 patients die each year from medical malpractice. Studies have shown that the majority of these deaths were easily preventable.
Although medical malpractice can take many forms, some of the more common examples include:
- Misdiagnosis of injury or illness
- Failure to diagnose injury or illness
- Medication errors
- Failure to obtain an accurate patient history
- Misreading of X-rays, echocardiograms, CT scans etc.
- Surgical errors
- Delays in treatment
- Anesthesia errors
- Failure to order necessary tests
- Leaving medical equipment in a patient’s body
- Infections
- Use of defective medical equipment
- Failures to communicate among health care providers
- Unnecessary medical procedures
When a medical error that should have been avoided occurs and causes a patient injury, it is medical malpractice. Like all other professionals, doctors and nurses should be held accountable when their negligence causes harm. Unfortunately, due to overzealous “tort reform,” successful lobbying by insurance companies and a handful of well-publicized frivolous lawsuits, medical malpractice cases have become increasingly difficult to win.
The attorneys at Heygood, Orr & Pearson have the experience and expertise to assist injured patients with their medical malpractice claims. Our attorneys have successfully represented numerous victims of medical malpractice. Among our attorneys’ recent verdicts, settlements and results are the following:
Jim Orr negotiated a $6.75 million settlement for the family of an 8 year-old child who suffered permanent brain damage due to medical errors occurring at a VA hospital.
Michael Heygood achieved a $2.2 million jury verdict in a medical malpractice lawsuit arising from the premature discharge of a newborn infant from the hospital with low glucose levels.
Eric Pearson argued the appeal in Columbia Medical Center of Las Colinas, Inc. v. Hogue, 271 S.W.3d 238 (Tex. 2009), in which the Texas Supreme Court upheld a gross negligence finding against the defendant hospital in a medical malpractice case and affirmed the jury’s $9 million verdict on behalf of his clients.
At Heygood, Orr & Pearson, we have the knowledge, experience and financial resources necessary to prosecute even the most complex medical negligence case. If you believe you or a loved one has suffered as a result of medical malpractice, please contact us for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights and options.
