Medical malpractice is not just an unsuccessful surgery or a doctor’s failure to treat a condition. Medical negligence can cause real harm to people. It can not only make your conditions worse than before but even cause death.
Medical malpractice is a controversial topic in the US, and these controversies have given rise to a lot of misconceptions and false information. If you have been injured, medical negligence lawyers can help you. But, before that, it is essential to learn about a few myths associated with the subject.
Common medical malpractice myths
- Medical malpractice lawsuits are frivolous.
This is untrue. Many people think that most of these medical malpractice lawsuits are filed by unhappy or angry patients who did not get better after spending money on healthcare and wanted to seek revenge. However, medical malpractice is very prevalent in the United States. In fact, according to studies, of all medical negligence claims, only 3 percent turn out to be frivolous. When filing a case for medical negligence or malpractice, mostly, people seek professionals such as personal injury lawyers in Dallas or elsewhere, who might first judge the whole situation before proceeding further. This can reduce the chances of false lawsuits and claims against medical practitioners.
- Doctors rarely make mistakes.
Doctors are considered life saviors, and many people see them as “Godlike.” However, doctors are normal humans, just like all of us, and humans are bound to make mistakes. Medical errors are not rare. In fact, they are quite common. Medical malpractice leads to around 250,000 deaths every year, making it the third-highest cause of death in the United States. Despite these high figures, not enough people pursue a court case because they don’t have adequate support. A specialist lawyer like Eric Subin of Sunin Associates can help patients feel more comfortable tackling their case and hopefully, can hold doctors responsible for negligent actions.
- You get a hefty amount of money from medical malpractice cases.
If you think patients file a claim to get rich, then you are wrong. Less than 1% of the medical malpractice settlements result in an award of $1 million or more. Other people are compensated mostly for the money they spent on their treatment, including surgery, medications, appointments, etc. The silver lining here is that several medical negligence lawyers similar to Tami Frankel – Solicitor profile at Gadsby Wicks – offer a ‘no win no fee’ scenario, which means that you only pay legal fees if you win the case. This is because in most cases that win, the legal fees are usually paid by the losing party. And another thing, if the patient had suffered from other damages, such as lost wages, they might be compensated for that too.
- Medical malpractice lawsuits are forcing physicians to quit medicine.
Defending physicians against malpractice claims and compensating victims cost around $7.1 billion each year, only 0.3 of the total US healthcare costs. Also, there has been an increase in practicing physicians in the last 10 years. Therefore, this idea is completely untrue.
- Medical malpractice attorneys are too expensive.
Many times, a medical malpractice attorney who specializes in medical malpractice may work on a contingency fee basis, which means they might charge a fee only if you win the case. If you lose the case, they may refuse to charge you for the services they provided.
If you are hesitant about filing a medical malpractice claim because of some myths, consulting with a lawyer will provide you with the clarity you need. Lawyers can analyze your situation and determine whether you have a case and your best options.
