Valdosta GA Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Valdosta Medical Malpractice Attorney

Many Valdosta, Georgia, area residents routinely trust various healthcare professionals to deliver safe and effective treatments for their injuries and illnesses. While the majority of healthcare providers do their utmost for every patient, limit uncertainty in treatment whenever possible, and always adhere to their patients’ standards of care, others do not.

Experienced Legal Counsel for Valdosta Medical Malpractice Claims

Whenever a medical professional harms a patient through negligence, egregious misconduct, or a failure to meet the patient’s basic required level of care, this constitutes medical malpractice. The victim can pursue compensation, and a medical malpractice case is a form of personal injury claim. However, there are specific rules that apply to medical malpractice claims, and it’s vital to know these rules and how they will apply to your recovery.

Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys has years of professional experience helping clients in Valdosta and surrounding communities of Southeast Georgia with their medical malpractice cases. We know how to help you streamline your recovery process, meeting all the procedural deadlines that apply to your case and approaching this difficult process with confidence and peace of mind. Our goal in every medical malpractice case we accept is to help our client feel at ease and recover with the reassurance of knowing they have a dedicated legal advocate fighting for their recovery.

How to File a Medical Malpractice Case in Southeast Georgia

Unlike most other personal injury cases, you cannot proceed directly with filing a medical malpractice claim against the medical professional responsible for your injuries. First, you must firmly establish that medical malpractice did, in fact, occur by securing an affidavit of expertise from an experienced medical professional. The person who signs this affidavit must possess professional credentials and experience equivalent to or greater than those of the defendant. The person signing your affidavit of expertise will testify as to how the defendant violated the standard of care you required.

You must also provide advance notice to the defendant through a Notice of Intent to File Suit, which should accompany the affidavit of expertise obtained to support your claim. Once you have both of these items prepared, your Valdosta medical malpractice attorney will guide you through the next steps of your case. Most medical malpractice claims in Southeast Georgia end in settlement, but it is always possible for a case to escalate to requiring litigation.

Common Examples of Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice covers a wide range of medical injuries, and it’s possible for many incidents to qualify as grounds for medical malpractice claims in Valdosta. Therefore, when you intend to file a medical malpractice case of any kind, it’s vital to ensure your chosen attorney has experience handling cases like yours. You can rely on Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys for effective legal representation in a wide range of medical malpractice cases, including:

• Misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, failure to diagnose, and other diagnostic errors.
• Surgical errors, such as performing the wrong procedure on the wrong patient, leaving instruments inside of a patient’s body, or causing acute traumatic harm through an incompetently performed procedure.
• Medication errors, including erroneous prescriptions or failure to administer medications correctly.
• Birth injuries, which commonly result in long-term or permanent harm to affected newborns and/or their mothers.
• Hospital negligence, or any failure of hospital staff to ensure a safe and clean treatment environment.
• Anesthesia errors, which encompass any negligence in the administration of anesthesia or patient vital sign monitoring while a patient is under the effects of anesthesia.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the different types of medical malpractice claims our firm can handle. If you are unsure whether you have grounds to file a medical malpractice claim, it’s vital to consult a Valdosta medical malpractice attorney right away.

Claimable Damages in Your Medical Malpractice Case

Once you have proven fault for the medical malpractice you experienced, you must prove the scope of the damages the defendant caused. Under Georgia law, the victim of medical malpractice can claim full repayment of the financial losses they incurred due to the defendant’s actions. These typically include medical expenses and lost income. When the defendant’s actions force you to undergo further medical treatment to heal from the injury or illness they cause, they are liable for all associated medical expenses, including those you face in the future for rehabilitative care.

If you were forced to miss work due to your injury, the defendant is liable for your lost wages during this time. If they leave you permanently disabled and you cannot return to work at all, they are liable for your lost future earning potential as well. You may have grounds to claim more compensation than you initially expected, but beyond your economic damages, you also can claim compensation for your pain and suffering. The Georgia Supreme Court recently struck down the cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice claims, and your Valdosta medical malpractice attorney will assist you in calculating a fair amount to include in your civil action.

When you hire Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys as your medical malpractice attorneys, our firm will do everything we can to maximize your final case award. We will help you gather the evidence and expert witness testimony needed to firmly establish liability for the damages you suffered. We take time to get to know each client, listening to their story and learning all the various effects their injuries have had on their lives. When you choose our firm to represent you, you will have dedicated legal counsel ready to assist you through every aspect of your case.

FAQs About Valdosta, GA Medical Malpractice Laws

What Is the Most Common Form of Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice occurs in many different ways, but the majority of medical malpractice claims filed in South Georgia pertain to misdiagnosis. Misdiagnosis can refer to any negligent error in the diagnostic process that leads to a serious injury. For example, if a medical professional fails to deliver an accurate diagnosis, cannot diagnose a patient in a timely manner, or fails to provide a diagnosis at all, it can lead to a medical malpractice suit if their misdiagnosis causes injury to the patient.

What Happens When Medical Malpractice Is Fatal?

Unfortunately, medical negligence is a top-reported cause of accidental deaths in the United States each year, and when you lose a loved one through medical malpractice of any kind, you likely have grounds to file a wrongful death claim. While similar to a personal injury claim in some ways, a wrongful death claim pertains to the family’s losses resulting from the death, and it’s vital to have experienced legal counsel on your side for this kind of case.

How Long Do I Have to File a Medical Malpractice Claim in Valdosta, GA?

Georgia enforces a two-year statute of limitations on medical malpractice cases, so you must file your case within two years of the date your injury occurred. However, this is variable when the effects of malpractice are not immediately noticeable. The statute of limitations may not begin until an injury becomes apparent, but the state does impose an overarching statute of repose of five years, meaning any medical malpractice claim must be filed no later than five years after the date of the injury in question.

How Much Compensation Can I Receive for Medical Malpractice?

If you were harmed by a medical professional’s failure to meet the standard of care you required, your Valdosta medical malpractice attorney can help you calculate the full economic impact of the incident, holding the defendant accountable for your corrective medical care expenses, lost income, and lost future damages, depending on the scope of your injury. You can also claim pain and suffering damages to reflect the seriousness of your experience. Therefore, your Valdosta medical malpractice attorney is the right resource to consult for an accurate estimate of your claim’s total potential value.

How Much Will My Valdosta Medical Malpractice Attorney Charge in Legal Fees?

State law limits how much medical malpractice attorneys can charge their clients, so you are likely to have legal counsel provided under a contingency fee agreement. This kind of billing requires no upfront or ongoing fees for the duration of your proceedings and no fees at all if you lose your case. If your Valdosta medical malpractice attorney successfully secures compensation, they will take a percentage of the total case award.

Experienced Valdosta Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys has successfully represented many medical malpractice claims in the past, and we know the legal challenges you are likely to encounter as you seek compensation for the damages you suffered. The right attorney is an invaluable asset for any civil suit, and time is a critical concern for any injured person who intends to pursue a civil claim against the party responsible for their injury. If you are ready to take advantage of your options for legal recourse with a reliable and experienced Valdosta medical malpractice attorney, contact Spohrer Dodd Trial Attorneys today and schedule a free consultation with our firm.