Medical Malpractice Attorneys - Medical Injury Lawsuits- Portland, Bangor & Lewiston, Maine Lawyers

What is Medical Malpractice?

Doctors, nurses, hospitals and other health care providers make mistakes, just like the rest of us. Sometimes those mistakes hurt patients. When that happens and the provider's conduct is below the standard of care the patient has right to collect damages from the person or institution causing the harm. Negligence of health care providers is called medical malpractice.

How is Medical Malpractice Proven?

To collect damages it's necessary for the injured patient to prove that he/she has suffered an injury, that the injury happened because of the actions of a health care provider, that the conduct of the provider was below the standard of care and that the injury occurred within three years from the date of the claim. Each of these parts of the claim involves complicated legal issues. For instance, the doctor who fails to diagnose a clear case of cancer on a patient in June may very well be acting below the standard of care for similar doctors, but if the patient dies from the cancer in July, it may be hard to prove the outcome would have been different even if the doctor had made an accurate diagnosis. Thus the doctor may avoid paying a claim by showing that his actions did not cause the death. Sometimes the doctor can be found negligent by doing nothing, when some action is required. Many cases involving infants injured at birth are the result in delays by doctors and hospitals in making deliveries.

Are Nursing Homes Covered?

Yes, injuries caused by nursing home negligence are becoming all too common. Sub-standard nursing and just plain neglect are the most common ways in which nursing homes can be forced to pay damages. Learn more about Nursing Home Medical Malpractice and how to determine whether you should pursue the case or not.

How Do I Know if I Have a Case?

Medical malpractice cases can be very complicated. Each case must go through a pretrial screening panel before the case goes to trial. These cases tend not to settle quickly because juries have been favorable to doctors in many instances. To find out if you have a medical malpractice case, contact Hardy Wolf and Downing for a free and confidential consultation. Bring any records you have, but if you have none, come anyway. We will gather records and evaluate your case to see if it's something you wish to pursue. Don't delay. Although you have three years to file, the sooner the evidence can be gathered, the better your chances for the claim. Memories fade, records disappear and doctors move. If you think you have a claim you'd like us to evaluate, call now. You can always decide to not pursue it, regardless of whether we think your case is valid.

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