Did your doctor fail to diagnose a medical condition, make a mistake during surgery, or commit another medical error? You may have the right to file a medical malpractice claim to recover damages for your costs, injuries, and suffering. The experienced Waynesboro medical malpractice lawyers at Hawk Law Group can help you fight to maximize your financial recovery.
We’re top-rated Georgia trial attorneys with over 71 years of combined legal experience. We’ve led our clients to millions in life-changing financial victories, including some of the highest settlements and verdicts in the state.
Your healthcare provider made a mistake that turned your life upside down. Hawk Law Group will be there to help you hold them accountable. Contact our Waynesboro, GA, law office for a free consultation at (706)-437-9122 to get started.
How Hawk Law Group Can Help If You’ve Been the Victim of Medical Malpractice in Waynesboro, GA
What do you have to prove to win a medical malpractice claim? What happens if the doctor or hospital refuses to admit that a mistake was made? How much should you be able to recover by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit?
Don’t try to tackle these issues on your own. Focus on your recovery and turn to our Waynesboro personal injury lawyers for help with your medical malpractice lawsuit.
We’ll be ready to go toe-to-toe with the hospital, negligent healthcare provider, and other tough defendants on your behalf. We understand how much is at stake, and we’ll be prepared to invest the considerable time and resources that may be necessary to get you the results you deserve.
As we navigate your medical malpractice claim, we will:
- Investigate the acts of medical negligence that resulted in your injury or illness
- Review medical records and documentation, witness statements, photographs, and other evidence that can be helpful in building your claim for damages
- Consult with independent medical experts as we prepare an “affidavit of expert” to file with your medical negligence claim
- Handle negotiations with the healthcare provider, hospital, and insurance carrier on your behalf
- Have an award-winning trial attorney bring your case to a Burke County jury if the hospital refuses to extend a fair settlement offer
We know that an act of medical negligence can put you in an incredibly difficult financial situation. We don’t want you to be afraid that you can’t afford to hire a medical malpractice attorney in Waynesboro, Georgia, to help you pursue life-changing compensation. That’s why our law firm works on contingency. You pay nothing upfront, and there are no out-of-pocket costs to get us on your side. We only get paid if we win your medical malpractice case.
There’s no risk involved in asking for our help. Reach out to our compassionate and caring team to arrange a time for a free, no-obligation case evaluation today.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
Healthcare providers are professionals who are held to high standards. When treating patients, they’re expected to demonstrate a reasonable degree of care and skill. When a doctor fails to meet this standard of care, they can be considered negligent and held legally and financially responsible for resulting harm.
The standard of care is fluid. That is, it changes depending on the case and situation. Ultimately, it comes down to what a reasonable, objective provider of the same area of specialization would have done under the circumstances.
Would a different doctor have made different choices or done something differently when providing care? If so, your healthcare provider may be considered negligent.
Georgia law requires an “affidavit of expert” in medical malpractice cases. This helps to establish that the standard of care was violated. An independent and qualified medical expert must state that at least one error or act of negligence occurred in the course of treatment or care.
What Are Some Common Examples of Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice can take many forms, including:
- Failure to take a proper patient history
- Failure to diagnose
- Failure to treat
- Failure to order proper tests
- Misdiagnosis
- Unnecessary surgery
- Surgical error
- Wrong site surgery
- Medication error
- Anesthesia error
- Charting error
- Premature discharge
- Birth injury
Why do medical mistakes happen? Often, they’re a consequence of understaffing, doctor fatigue and burnout, miscommunication, and administrative problems.
How Common Is Medical Malpractice?
A study by Johns Hopkins University found that medical errors were the third leading cause of avoidable death in the United States, responsible for about 250,000 fatalities annually. Other research suggests that as many as 440,000 people may die because of medical errors every year.
What’s worse is that it’s believed that most acts of medical malpractice go unreported. So, these estimates are likely on the low side.
What’s My Waynesboro Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Worth?
Between 2010 and 2019, more than $42 billion was paid out in medical malpractice cases across the United States.
So, you might be wondering how much money you might be able to get if you file a medical malpractice claim in Waynesboro, Georgia.
The truth is that it depends.
Many factors will be relevant when it comes to valuation:
- The types of injuries and trauma you’ve suffered
- How your injuries affect your day-to-day life
- Whether you’re likely to make a full recovery
- Your age and earning capacity
The greater the impact your injuries have on your life, the more money you can typically expect to recover by filing a medical negligence claim.
The best way to learn about the strength of your particular case is by speaking with a medical malpractice attorney near you in Waynesboro, GA. Contact Hawk Law Group. Our team is always standing by to provide the assistance and guidance you deserve.
What Damages Can I Get By Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim?
When filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, you can ask for both economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are awarded to compensate for the financial losses associated with your case, such as:
- Present and future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Medical devices and equipment
- Out-of-pocket costs, including transportation, travel, and lodging related to ongoing medical treatment
- Lost wages and benefits
- Nursing assistance
- Funeral and burial costs if an act of medical negligence results in a family member’s wrongful death
Non-economic damages are paid to compensate for suffering and trauma that victims of medical malpractice can experience, like:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Embarrassment
- Chronic physical pain
If there’s evidence that a doctor or healthcare provider acted intentionally or consciously disregarded your safety, a Waynesboro jury might decide that punitive damages should be awarded, as well.
Who Could Be Liable For My Injuries in a Medical Malpractice Case?
Under Georgia state law, anyone who contributes to an act of medical malpractice can be financially responsible for the consequences.
Depending on the specific circumstances of your case, this might include a:
- General practitioner
- Medical specialists, including OBGYNs, surgeons, and oncologists
- Nurse
- Nurse practitioner (NP)
- Physician assistant (PA)
- Anesthesiologist
- Pharmacist
- Medical staff
- Hospital ownership
- Hospital administration
- Urgent treatment facility
- Emergency medical professional
At Hawk Law Group, our Waynesboro medical malpractice attorneys will carefully review the details of your case to determine how it happened, why it happened, and who’s at fault. Once liability is established, we’ll actively pursue damages from anyone who put you in harm’s way.
Are There Time Limits for Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in Georgia?
Georgia has a two-year statute of limitations that applies to most medical malpractice lawsuits. The clock begins to run on the date the injury is sustained or diagnosed, whichever is later.
Families who experience the wrongful death of a loved one will also have two years from the date of death to file a legal claim for damages.
Georgia also has a five-year statute of repose, which means that a medical malpractice lawsuit generally can’t be brought more than five years after the medical error occurs. This is true even if the error or injury hasn’t been discovered yet.
There is an exception for cases involving objects left in the body during surgery. The statute of repose will not automatically bar claims in these situations.
One thing is certain – you lose out on compensation if you fail to file a claim before the deadline expires. Don’t let that happen. Reach out to the award-winning Georgia medical malpractice attorneys at Hawk Law Group immediately after you discover that you’ve been injured.
Arrange a Free Consultation With an Experienced Waynesboro Medical Malpractice Lawyer
A simple mistake during the course of medical treatment can change your life forever. The doctor or healthcare professional who made the mistake must be held accountable. So should anyone else who played a role in your substandard care.
That’s why Hawk Law Group should be your first call for help. Our Waynesboro medical malpractice lawyers are ready to fight for you. We’ll do everything in our power to help you achieve the best possible outcome in your medical negligence case.
Your first case evaluation is free, so please don’t hesitate to call our Waynesboro, GA, law office to speak with a member of our team today.
