Atlanta Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Medical Malpractice Attorney in Atlanta, GA

When you visit a healthcare center in Atlanta for medical treatment, such as Emory University Hospital or Grady Memorial Hospital, you have the expectation that you will receive safe and effective treatment. Unfortunately, it is not the reality for thousands of people in Atlanta and throughout Georgia each year. Medical malpractice is more common than many realize, and an Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer is an essential resource if you have experienced this.

Compassionate Medical Malpractice Counsel in Atlanta, GA

An Atlanta personal injury lawyer is an invaluable asset when you believe that another party’s negligence or misconduct has injured you or a loved one. While medical malpractice is a form of personal injury, if you believe you have grounds to file a case against a medical professional in Atlanta, it is crucial to choose an attorney with proven experience handling this type of case.

Barnes Law Group, led by former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes, can provide comprehensive legal support for your medical malpractice case in Atlanta. Medicine is an inherently complex and uncertain field, but medical malpractice occurs when negligence results in patient harm. If this has happened to you or a loved one, it is crucial to hire a medical malpractice lawyer you trust to guide you through the legal proceedings ahead of you.

Our firm takes a client-focused approach to personal injury counsel. This means we listen to our clients’ stories, learn about the effects their injury has had on their lives, and do everything we can to maximize their compensation. Medical malpractice cases are unique personal injury cases that require close attention to detail, following strict procedural rules, and working with seasoned legal counsel who can guide you to a positive conclusion.

When you choose Barnes Law Group to represent you, you will have a dedicated legal advocate ready to provide compassionate support through every step of your case. We can gather evidence for you to help you prove that the malpractice directly caused your claimed damages. We can explain the procedural rules you must follow to file your case successfully, and trust us to seek maximum compensation for you.

Understanding Medical Malpractice Cases in Atlanta

In a personal injury case, the injured plaintiff must identify the defendant who injured them, prove how the defendant caused the injury, and then show the full scope of their resulting economic and non-economic damages. Medical malpractice cases are a specific type of personal injury case subject to strict rules in Georgia.

In addition to meeting the statute of limitations for filing the case, the plaintiff must also obtain an affidavit of expert to send to the defendant along with their complaint. This affidavit is a sworn statement that explains how the defendant violated the standard of care that the plaintiff required for their diagnosis. The expert providing the statement must explain how the defendant was negligent and how this negligence caused the damages cited in the claim.

Your Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer can help you meet the filing requirements for your medical malpractice case. The right attorney can not only assist you with meeting the procedural deadlines but also accurately calculate the total damages you are eligible to claim. However, due to the time investment these cases require, it is crucial that you hire a medical malpractice lawyer as quickly as possible after the injury so they can immediately begin work on your case.

Common Types of Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice occurs whenever a medical professional’s negligence causes harm to their patient. The medical community establishes a standard of care or minimum level of acceptable treatment for every known medical condition, and doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals must adhere to the standard of care for every patient they treat.

If a medical professional is negligent and causes harm to the patient, it is a violation of the standard of care and can form grounds for a medical malpractice case. Some of the most commonly filed medical malpractice cases in Atlanta include:

• Failure to Diagnose: This is one of the most common types of medical malpractice in the United States. Doctors who diagnose patient conditions must do so using approved differential diagnostic processes. Failure to diagnose a patient or providing an incorrect diagnosis can cause extreme harm to the patient.
• Surgical Errors: Any negligence during a surgical procedure can potentially result in life-threatening complications for the patient. It is also possible for such negligence to result in acute traumatic injuries and/or cause long-term complications.
• Emergency Room Errors: The emergency room is often one of the most chaotic places in any hospital, and there are strict rules and procedures that all emergency room staff must follow. When these rules are breached through negligence, patients may not get the care they need in time to avoid catastrophic or fatal medical incidents. In some circumstances, the plaintiff is required to prove an emergency provider acted with gross negligence in order to bring a malpractice claim.
• Birth Injuries: Any injury to a newborn during childbirth procedures could result in lifelong disability, and it is also possible for a birth injury to harm the child’s mother. These injuries can happen due to failure to monitor patient vitals, account for the mother’s unique medical issues, or improper use of surgical tools like forceps.
• Anesthesia Errors: Many surgical procedures require anesthesia, and when this medication is not administered correctly, it can potentially have catastrophic or even fatal results for the patient.
• Medication Errors: It’s possible for a doctor to prescribe medication incorrectly, and it is also possible for a pharmacist to fill a prescription incorrectly. Either situation can potentially have damaging or even life-threatening consequences for the patient.

These are just a few examples of how medical malpractice can occur in Atlanta. If you are unsure whether you have grounds to file this type of case, it is important to consult an experienced legal representative at your first opportunity. Gathering evidence to support your case may take longer than you expect, so it’s vital to hire a medical malpractice lawyer who can get started immediately.

Your Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer can consult a medical expert with the qualifications necessary to review the details of your injury and explain how the defendant breached the standard of care you required. This is a necessary step for filing your medical malpractice case, and it’s important to obtain their affidavit of expert right away to ensure you meet the filing deadline for your case.

Claiming Compensation in an Atlanta Medical Malpractice Case

Medical malpractice is more common than many people realize. A study from Johns Hopkins University concluded that medical errors could account for about 250,000 preventable deaths in the United States each year, making medical negligence the third leading cause of accidental death. When medical malpractice causes harm, it is vital for the victim to know their rights when it comes to claiming compensation for their damages.

A successful personal injury case in Georgia can yield compensation for economic and non-economic damages the plaintiff suffered due to the defendant’s negligence. Your Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer may help you recover:

• Additional medical expenses for treating your illness or injury. Many victims of medical malpractice require corrective treatment to resolve the issues caused by medical malpractice. Your attorney can help you calculate these damages, including the cost of any future rehabilitative care you may need to recover as much as possible.
• Lost wages. If you are unable to work due to your injury, you also have the right to claim compensation for the income you are unable to earn during this time. When your injury has caused a permanent disability, you may also recover compensation for your lost future earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering. You have the right to claim financial compensation for the physical pain and psychological suffering you endured due to the defendant’s actions. Georgia no longer enforces a cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases, so a plaintiff has the right to claim whatever amount they believe to be reasonable to reflect the severity of their experience.

Ultimately, your case could be worth more than you expect, but if you want the greatest chance of maximizing your recovery, it will be crucial to hire a medical malpractice lawyer you trust at your first opportunity.

The team at Barnes Law Group has successfully handled many of these cases for clients in Atlanta and the surrounding communities of Georgia. We are fluent in the medical malpractice laws that will apply to your case, the procedural rules for filing it, and the types of compensation you may be able to collect if you win. Our goal in every case we accept is to guide our client through their legal proceedings efficiently and maximize their recovery.

You have limited time to file your medical malpractice case in Atlanta, GA, so it’s vital to hire a medical malpractice lawyer right away. Barnes Law Group is ready to provide the compassionate legal representation you need, so reach out to us right away to learn how we can assist you with your case.

FAQs About Medical Malpractice in Atlanta, GA

How Do You Prove Fault for Medical Malpractice in Atlanta?

To prove fault for medical malpractice in Atlanta, you need to prove that the defendant was negligent during medical care in a way that directly caused your claimed damages. Various forms of evidence could come into play in your case, and you will need expert witness testimony to support your claim. An experienced Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer can be an invaluable asset for proving fault and ensuring accountability for your damages.

What Is a Medical Malpractice Case Worth in Atlanta?

The value of a medical malpractice case in Atlanta generally depends on the severity of the plaintiff’s injuries. If you are able to prove the defendant is responsible for the injury you suffered, it is possible to claim compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and for the pain and suffering you experienced.

What Are the Medical Malpractice Penalties in Georgia?

Medical malpractice penalties in Georgia may extend beyond civil liability for victims’ damages. For example, it is possible for a doctor to lose their medical license if they were egregiously negligent or broke the law in causing the injury. Your Atlanta medical malpractice attorney can explain how any such variables could influence your case and how they could affect your recovery.

How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Medical Malpractice Case in Atlanta?

The time required to resolve a medical malpractice case in Atlanta depends on several factors. Your Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer is your most important asset when it comes to filing your case correctly and resolving the case as efficiently as possible. Most medical malpractice cases take many months or years to come to resolution.

Why Should I Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer?

You should hire a medical malpractice lawyer to maximize your chance of success with your case. These are some of the most challenging personal injury cases anyone can file, and there are special rules that apply to medical malpractice cases in Georgia that do not apply to most other personal injury cases.

It’s crucial to hire an attorney with proven experience handling cases similar to yours and who is fluent in the medical malpractice laws that apply to your specific case.

Contact Our Team At Barnes Law Group

The team at Barnes Law Group has resolved many complex medical malpractice cases for clients in Atlanta and the surrounding areas of Georgia. Whether you are seeking compensation for your own damages or acting on behalf of a critically injured family member, we can help. Contact us today and schedule a free consultation with an Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer you trust. We look forward to assisting you with your case.