Were you or a family member harmed because of a medical error in Edgefield County, SC? Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers can be held financially responsible for their mistakes. An experienced Edgefield County medical malpractice lawyer at Hawk Law Group can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your family’s suffering.
Our lawyers bring over 71 years of experience to the table. We’ve used that experience to help our injured clients recover tens of millions of dollars over the years.
You can contact us anytime to learn more about our legal services. Simply call our law offices in Edgefield County, South Carolina, to schedule a free consultation.
How Hawk Law Group Can Help With a Medical Malpractice Claim in Edgefield County
You trust your doctors and healthcare providers with your most important asset: your health. When they make a mistake and jeopardize your health, you’re the one who’s left dealing with the consequences. Our Edgefield County personal injury lawyers at Hawk Law Group can help you hold the negligent parties fully accountable for your losses.
Over the years, our lawyers have won some of the highest verdicts in the area–including one $30 million verdict.
When you trust our Edgefield County personal injury attorneys with your case, we will:
- Hire experts and prepare all paperwork, as required by South Carolina law
- Investigate to determine why you were injured and who was responsible
- Defend you if the insurance companies try to downplay your losses
- Accurately assess the fair value of your personal injury claim
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for a fair settlement
Don’t hesitate to learn more about our practice areas. Call our lawyers serving Edgefield County for your free initial consultation today.
How Common Is Medical Malpractice in Edgefield County?
Medical errors happen all the time. Of course, not every medical mistake gives rise to a valid medical malpractice claim. On the other hand, a prominent study by Johns Hopkins medical center found that medical malpractice may be the third leading cause of death in the United States. About 250,000 people die each year due to medical errors in the U.S.
As common as medical malpractice is, there are all different forms that a medical error can take.
At Hawk Law Group, we handle all types of medical malpractice cases, including those involving:
- Failure to diagnose
- Misdiagnosis
- Emergency room errors
- Surgical errors
- Anesthesia errors
- Birth injuries
- Medication errors
- Hospital negligence
- Nursing negligence
- Radiology errors
- Pharmacy errors
- And more
Medical errors aren’t always easy to spot. If you suspect you were a victim of medical negligence, contact our legal team to schedule a free case evaluation today. We’re here to help you understand your legal rights and options.
What Is My Edgefield County Medical Malpractice Case Worth?
There’s no question that medical errors can be expensive. Still, it’s difficult to estimate the exact value of your case without carefully reviewing the facts. While you’re entitled to compensation to cover all of your financial expenses, you’re also entitled to seek damages for your intangible losses, like pain and suffering.
Factors that will be most relevant in establishing your case value include:
- The nature of the harm caused by the medical error
- How the medical mistake will impact your future work, education, and lifestyle
- The nature of your healthcare provider’s mistake
- The cost of your medical treatment and other expenses
- The strength of your negligence case
- The identity of the at-fault party and available insurance coverage
It’s also important to understand that South Carolina law caps the amount of non-economic damages that you’re entitled to recover. In 2022, there is a $512,773 cap on non-economic damages with respect to any single medical provider. If multiple defendants share fault in your case, your total economic damages are limited to $1,538,319.
There is no similar cap on the amount of compensatory damages you can recover for your financial losses.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Medical Malpractice?
There are three primary types of damages that may be recovered by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, including economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.
Examples of the types of damages you may recover include:
- Past medical expenses
- Future medical expenses made necessary by the medical mistake
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Nursing care
- Rehabilitation
- Specialized care and therapies, including mental health counseling
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Severe depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD and fear
- Loss of consortium
While punitive damages are rare, they may be awarded to compensate the victim in personal injury cases involving intentional misconduct or especially shocking behavior.
Long-Term Consequences of Medical Malpractice
The consequences of a medical mistake can be far-reaching.
While the specific long-term consequences of medical malpractice vary from case to case, some of the most common consequences include:
- A worsened injury or medical condition
- A need for more extensive medical care, which often includes painful and invasive treatments
- Corrective surgeries and rehabilitation
- Infections
- Reduced life expectancy
- Care in a nursing home
- Bed sores
- Chronic pain and dependency on pain medications
- Internal organ damage
- Heart failure or heart attacks
- Blood clots, which can lead to stroke
- Brain damage
- Development of ancillary medical complications or conditions
- Paralysis and loss of mobility
- Amputations
- Sepsis
- Wrongful death
If you or a loved one are struggling with the painful consequences of medical negligence, our lawyers are here to help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve. Just call our personal injury law firm in Edgefield, South Carolina, to schedule a free case review today.
What Causes Most Medical Errors in Edgefield County, South Carolina?
Medical errors happen for all kinds of reasons. Human error is the root cause of most medical malpractice cases.
Some of the most common causes of medical malpractice include:
- Failure to diagnose cancer and other diseases
- Misdiagnosis
- Delayed diagnosis
- Failure to account for adverse drug interactions
- Failure to order the proper diagnostic tests
- Misinterpreting test results
- Inexperienced healthcare professionals
- Outdated practices or technology
- Overtreatment
- Undertreatment
- Wrong-site surgeries and mistaken patient identity
- Charting errors
- Failure to communicate
- Improper drug transfusions
- Failure to take a full patient history
- Physician bias
- Defective medical devices
- Prescribing dangerous drugs
- Failure to recognize a patient’s symptoms
- Failure to refer the patient to a specialist when necessary
In today’s medical environment, fatigued medical professionals and physician burnout can also lead to medical mistakes. Medical professionals are overworked, and hospitals are often understaffed. That alone can cause a life-changing error.
How Do I Prove Medical Negligence if I Was Harmed by a Doctor’s Mistake in South Carolina?
To establish that you have a valid medical malpractice case, you must prove the following elements:
- The at-fault party owed you a duty of care, which can be established if you were receiving treatment
- The medical standard of care in your case
- The defendant made a mistake that no reasonably trained medical professional would have made under the circumstances
- You suffered identifiable harm, such as a worsened medical condition
- The specific damages you sustained
Establishing the medical standard of care is often complex. That’s because the standard is different in every case. Our South Carolina attorneys will work with leading medical experts and specialists who can offer their opinion about the standard of care in your case. Then, we’ll work to prove that your healthcare provider failed to provide adequate care.
Who Is Responsible for Paying My Damages?
Medical malpractice can happen at any stage of your medical care. Similarly, any healthcare professional can be held liable for medical negligence.
Examples of parties who may share liability in your case include:
- Doctors
- Surgeons
- Nurses
- Anesthesiologists
- Pharmacists
- Physician’s assistants
- Administrative staff
- Radiologists
- Lab technicians
- Obstetricians
- Oncologists
- Manufacturers of dangerous drugs or medical devices
Of course, it’s often the hospital or medical facility that will ultimately be responsible for covering your losses. That’s because most healthcare professionals are employees. As the employer, the hospital or clinic is liable for the negligent acts of its employees.
How Long Do I Have To File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in South Carolina?
The medical malpractice statute of limitations in South Carolina is three years. The three-year clock typically starts to run on the date the mistake occurred. However, a discovery rule applies. If a victim doesn’t discover the mistake immediately, they have three years from the date they discover the mistake or reasonably should have discovered the mistake.
Despite the discovery rule, you lose your right to sue for damages once six years have passed. While there are exceptions to the six-year rule, they are rare.
If you even suspect that you were a victim of medical negligence, take legal action today by calling our experienced Edgefield County medical malpractice attorneys for a free consultation.
Contact an Edgefield County Medical Malpractice Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If a trusted doctor or medical provider has left you suffering, you deserve to know what happened. Contact an experienced Edgefield County medical malpractice lawyer at Hawk Law Group to discuss your legal options today. As always, your initial consultation is free of charge.
