Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If you're having difficulties as a victim of a medical malpractice injury, you're not alone. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA can support you in holding the doctor, hospital, or another liable party accountable. We aim to recover money for the injuries, expenses, and losses you incurred.

It takes work to fight against medical institutions and insurance companies to get the compensation you need or for them to admit fault for your injury. Our Jacksonville medical malpractice lawyers understand the system is up against you. We are not afraid to take it on and fight for the compensation you may be eligible for under the law.

Why Choose Our Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Lawyers?

Dolman Law Group has over 120 years of combined legal experience and a track record of securing over $400 million in settlements. Our attorneys have helped thousands of clients, achieving more than 400 settlements that surpass pre-trial offers.

With offices across Florida, including Jacksonville, and extending to states like Illinois, New York, and Texas, there's always an attorney nearby. Our Jacksonville office is conveniently located at 12574 Flagler Center Blvd., Suite 101, near the Duval Charter School at Flagler Center K-8, making it easy for local clients to reach us for their legal needs.

Our founder, Matthew Dolman, has a personal stake in fighting for justice in medical malpractice cases stemming from his father's experience. This personal connection fuels our commitment to each case, ensuring we treat your case as if it were our own.

We can negotiate an out-of-court settlement with the liable party's malpractice insurance provider or represent you at trial and ask the jury to award compensation for your damages. Our team stands by our clients throughout the claims process and will fight for the money you can recover until we have your check in hand or the case is over.

Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Compensation

Medical malpractice cases may entitle victims to various types of compensation. The compensation will depend on the type of injury you sustain and the effects the injury or condition will have on your life.

At Dolman Law Group, our attorneys work with clients to identify, prove, and value the damages they suffered from medical negligence and build a case to recover them. Here is each type of compensation in medical malpractice cases and how our Jacksonville lawyers help prove them.

Medical Expenses

Medical expenses constitute a large portion of economic damages in medical malpractice cases. These expenses cover all medical-related costs incurred due to the malpractice, including hospital stays, surgical procedures, medications, physical therapy, and any future medical care required.

We compile a comprehensive collection of medical bills, receipts, and records to prove these damages. For future medical expenses, we often rely on professional testimony to estimate ongoing care costs. At Dolman Law Group, we ensure that every medical expense, no matter how small, is accounted for and included in your claim.

Lost Income and Loss of Earning Capacity

Lost income and the loss of earning capacity represent the income you have lost and will potentially lose due to the malpractice. This includes immediate lost income and the impact on your ability to earn in the future, especially if the malpractice results in a long-term disability. We gather employment records and past pay stubs and collaborate with economic professionals to project your future earnings and losses.

Our role is establishing a clear link between the malpractice and your financial losses, ensuring your claim reflects current and future economic impacts.

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering compensation addresses the physical pain and emotional distress you experience as a result of medical malpractice. This includes immediate physical discomfort as well as long-term effects like chronic pain, anxiety, and a decreased quality of life.

Proving pain and suffering often involves personal testimony, psychological evaluations, and detailed descriptions of the impact on your daily life. Our team at Dolman Law Group works to convey the severity of your pain and suffering, advocating for a compensation amount that truly reflects the depth of your experience.

Loss of Consortium

You recover loss of consortium damages when medical malpractice adversely affects your relationship with your spouse. This includes loss of companionship, affection, and physical intimacy.

To prove the loss of consortium, we gather testimonies from you, your spouse, and potentially other family members to illustrate the strain on your relationships.

Emotional Distress

Compensation for emotional distress specifically focuses on the psychological impact of the malpractice. It includes conditions such as stress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression.

 Proving emotional distress often requires psychological evaluations, therapy records, and personal testimony detailing the mental and emotional toll. At Dolman Law Group, we collaborate with mental health professionals to provide a comprehensive picture of your emotional suffering.

Understanding Types of Medical Malpractice Accidents

As a patient, you trust that healthcare professionals will take the steps necessary to protect your health and prioritize your well-being. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

It can be difficult for victims of medical malpractice to know what went wrong and injured them. Medical malpractice in Florida can manifest in many different scenarios. Our Jacksonville medical malpractice lawyers know how to recognize malpractice and get the necessary evidence to prove it happened, who is liable, and how much our client lost.

Medical providers and their staff must uphold their duty of care to you throughout each stage of care. If they fail to meet their obligations to you either in their direct actions or by failing to act, they can be liable to you for the injuries and damages that result. The cause of most medical malpractice cases is negligence.

Here are four common types of medical malpractice and how they can impact you.

Surgical Errors

Surgical errors occur during surgical procedures, which can have severe or life-threatening consequences. These errors can include operating on the wrong body part, leaving surgical instruments inside the patient, performing the wrong procedure, or causing unintended damage to organs or tissues.

The impact of surgical errors on patients can range from prolonged recovery times and increased medical expenses to permanent disability or, in the worst cases, death. The emotional and psychological trauma accompanying such errors can also be profound.

At Dolman Law Group, we conduct comprehensive investigations into surgical errors, collaborating with medical professionals to establish how the breach in the standard of care occurred. Our goal is to secure compensation for victims who have endured physical, financial, and emotional suffering.

Diagnostic Mistakes

Diagnostic mistakes happen when a healthcare professional fails to diagnose a patient's condition accurately. This can happen through misdiagnosis (diagnosing a different condition), delayed diagnosis (failing to diagnose a condition promptly), or failure to diagnose (missing the diagnosis altogether).

These mistakes can lead to incorrect or delayed treatment, worsening your condition. In some cases, particularly with conditions like cancer or heart disease, a delay in diagnosis can significantly reduce the chances of successful treatment or survival.

Our firm focuses on proving the link between the diagnostic error and the harm suffered. We gather evidence, consult medical professionals, and demonstrate how an accurate and timely diagnosis can change outcomes.

Anesthesia Errors

Anesthesia errors involve:

• Administering anesthesia, such as giving too much or too little anesthesia.
• Failing to monitor the patient's vital signs.
• Not considering a patient's medical history.

These errors can result in a range of complications, including brain damage due to oxygen deprivation, cardiac issues, awakening during surgery (anesthesia awareness), or, in extreme cases, death.

We work to identify how the anesthesia error occurred and who is responsible, whether the anesthesiologist, nurse or another medical professional. Our team seeks compensation for such errors' physical and psychological damage.

Prescription Drug Mishaps

Prescription drug mishaps can include:

• Errors in prescribing medication.
• Dispensing the wrong medication or dosage.
• Failing to recognize harmful drug interactions.

The consequences of prescription drug errors can range from adverse drug reactions and worsening of the medical condition to potentially fatal outcomes.

At Dolman Law Group, we examine the chain of events leading to the prescription error, holding all parties accountable, from the prescribing physician to the pharmacy.

The Potential Injuries in Medical Malpractice

Some patients may be in good health before the medical malpractice incident that causes an injury. Others commonly grapple with the illness or injury they initially sought healthcare for. At first, some patients may not know if medical malpractice occurred, and they can't get answers about the long-term impacts of their injuries or how they happened.

Some victims of medical malpractice may recover with the help of a competent healthcare professional and a proper treatment plan. However, other victims can suffer lifelong consequences from the negligent actions of a medical professional. Some injuries may not heal, and recovery can be difficult or impossible depending on the type and severity of the patient's injury.

Below are some of the most common types of injuries associated with medical malpractice, their implications, and our approach to seeking justice and compensation.

Birth Injuries

Birth injuries refer to the harm suffered by a baby during the childbirth process. These injuries can range from mild, such as minor bruising, to severe, including cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries, or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation.

Birth injuries can have lifelong implications for the child and significant emotional and financial impacts on the family. Some injuries may require ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and special care.

At Dolman Law Group, we work with affected families to investigate the circumstances leading to the birth injury. We consult medical professionals to understand how the injury occurred and who is at fault.

Surgical Complications

Surgical complications in the context of medical malpractice involve unexpected problems arising from surgical procedures due to a surgeon's error or negligence. These complications can include infections, damage to organs or nerves, and inadequately addressed post-surgical complications.

Such complications can lead to additional surgeries, prolonged recovery, chronic pain, or permanent disability. The psychological impact of surgical complications can also be significant.

Our firm thoroughly investigates these cases, focusing on proving that the complications resulted from negligence rather than the surgery's inherent risks. We aim to ensure patients receive compensation for their additional medical treatments, pain, suffering, and long-term disability.

Worsening of Medical Conditions

This category includes situations where a patient's medical condition deteriorates due to a healthcare provider's negligence. This can be due to misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, incorrect treatment, or failure to treat.

A worsening condition often requires more aggressive treatment, which can be more costly and less effective. This can significantly affect your quality of life and life expectancy.

In these cases, we concentrate on linking the deterioration of the condition directly to the healthcare provider's actions or inaction. We gather comprehensive medical records and adept opinions to demonstrate how appropriate care can prevent the worsening of the condition.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

TBIs in medical malpractice can occur due to errors in surgery, anesthesia mistakes, or accidents during medical treatment. These injuries can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage.

The effects of TBIs can include cognitive impairment, physical disabilities, emotional and behavioral changes, and, in severe cases, long-term comatose states.

Our Jacksonville medical malpractice lawyers collaborate with skilled neurologists to establish the extent of the brain injury and its impact on your life. We aim to secure compensation covering medical expenses, long-term care needs, loss of income, and the intangible suffering the patient and their family endured.

Fighting Insurance Companies in Medical Malpractice Cases

Confronting insurance companies in medical malpractice cases is an uphill battle that requires strategic planning, legal experience, and determination. These companies defend against malpractice claims and often use a range of tactics to minimize their payouts.

Here's a closer look at insurance companies' common tactics to deny or devalue claims.

Disputing the Severity of the Injury

Insurance companies often attempt to downplay the severity of the injury sustained due to medical malpractice. They might argue that the injury is not as serious as claimed or that it was pre-existing.

Questioning the Causation

Another common tactic is questioning the causation between the medical professional's actions and the injury. They might claim that the injury was unrelated to the medical treatment or was inevitable due to the patient's health condition.

Offering Quick, Low Settlements

Insurance companies frequently offer quick settlements far lower than the claim's value. This tactic preys on victims' immediate need for financial support, hoping they'll accept less compensation without proper legal advice.

Prolonging the Process

Conversely, they might prolong negotiations and legal processes, hoping to wear down the claimant's resolve and resources, leading them to settle for less.

What to Do After Experiencing Medical Malpractice

After a medical malpractice incident, follow your treatment plans and keep detailed records of your medical visits and expenses. Documenting your experience in a journal and obtaining copies of medical reports can strengthen your case. Bringing this information to Dolman Law Group allows us to build a strong case on your behalf.

If you've suffered due to medical malpractice in Jacksonville, contact our skilled Jacksonville personal injury lawyers at Dolman Law Group for a free case consultation. We can evaluate your legal options based on the circumstances of your injuries and offer our advice about moving forward with your case. Contact our Jacksonville office at (904) 441-6903.