Caring advocacy when doctors and hospitals in Washington make costly mistakes
Richland residents who seek medical help have the right to expect that doctors won’t make their conditions worse. In most cases, doctors should make your condition better. When physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers make medical mistakes that cause injuries or take lives, they should be held accountable. Every doctor is required to provide competent medical care for the patients they treat.
Telaré Law works with medical experts, your employers, and financial advisors to show the true extent of your injuries. You need confident, experienced, tenacious lawyers on your side because doctors and hospitals will do everything they can to deny responsibility. Their careers may be at risk. They’ll fight your liability claim and try to minimize your pain and agony. Our Richland medical malpractice lawyers are ready to try your case in court. We have the skills and resources to hold healthcare providers responsible for medical malpractice.
How can we help?
- What are the elements of a medical malpractice case?
- What types of medical malpractice cases do your Richland lawyers handle?
- What are the dangers associated with medical errors?
- Who is liable for medical malpractice in Richland?
- How much is my Richland medical malpractice claim worth?
- How long do I have to file a medical malpractice claim in Washington?
- Can I afford a Richland medical malpractice attorney?
- Do you have a medical malpractice attorney near me?
What are the elements of a medical malpractice case?
Every medical malpractice lawsuit has four key elements:
- There was a doctor-patient relationship. The patient must show that there was an agreement between the doctor and the patient – that the doctor is responsible for examining and treating the patient. The relationship requirement also applies to hospitals, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers. We usually verify the relationship through appointment records, the completion of the forms patients filled out, and the actual treatment of the patient by the physician or healthcare provider.
- The quality of medical care provided was below acceptable medical standards. Doctors and other healthcare providers are generally required to have the proper licenses, education, and certifications. Doctors are responsible for providing medical care according to the standards of their specialty (such as orthopedic care) and in compliance with state and local medical boards requirements. We work with a network of doctors who understand the appropriate standards of care and the necessary qualifications.
- The failure to provide competent care was the cause of your injuries. It is necessary to show that your pain and suffering and other injuries were due to the lack of proper medical care – and not other causes such as untreatable health disorders.
- You have substantial damages because of your injuries. In medical malpractice, the failure to provide competent care can worsen your current health, prevent necessary treatments, require additional surgeries, and have other consequences affecting your life, health, and finances. Our Richland medical malpractice lawyers demand compensation for all your financial damages and personal suffering.
What types of medical malpractice cases do your Richland lawyers handle?
At Telaré Law, we represent patients who sustained life-altering injuries because of:
- Surgical errors. Accident patients often need immediate surgery. Other patients may be able to schedule their surgery in advance. In all types of surgeries, the surgical team (including the anesthesiologist) must anticipate complications, perform the surgery according to specific standards, and continually monitor the patient during and after surgery.
- Labor & delivery negligence. Every healthcare provider (doctors, hospitals, midwives, and others) involved in a mother’s pregnancy and delivery must anticipate known dangers and respond to emergencies, such as oxygen loss, in a correct and timely manner. Birth injuries like cerebral palsy and other life-long disorders can cause considerable strains on families.
- Nursing home neglect & abuse. Nursing homes can be held liable for physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse if they fail to vet their staff, monitor their staff, and respond to complaints from the residents and the local ombudsman.
- Diagnostic mistakes. Doctors need to determine what type of illness or acute injury you have before treating you. Diagnostic mistakes include errors of omission – failing to make the correct diagnosis, and errors of commission – making an incorrect diagnosis. Diagnostic errors include failing to order the correct tests. Diagnostic mistakes can mean that cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and many other diseases aren’t treated properly. In tragic cases, a patient can die because of an improper diagnosis.
- Emergency Room errors. ER doctors should be trained to respond to all types of acute injuries and illnesses. ER doctors and hospitals must prioritize which patients to see, order the correct diagnostic tests, and provide the proper treatment. These providers need to call in specialists when needed and admit patients when necessary.
- Medication errors. Medication errors include failing to prescribe the correct medication or prescribing the wrong medications. Doctors and pharmacists need to be aware of any dangerous interactions with other drugs. They must inform patients of the likely side effects. The medications must be in the proper doses and must indicate when the patient must take the medications. Nurses and nursing homes may be liable for medical malpractice if they fail to ensure the patient receives his/her medications.
Physicians and healthcare providers who prescribe drugs or treatments are required to obtain an informed consent from patients. The informed consent should explain the known and likely risks of taking the medications or undergoing the treatments. Exceptions may apply for emergency care.
What are the dangers associated with medical errors?
Medical malpractice often causes catastrophic injuries. Most people who seek medical advice and treatment from physicians are already in ill health. Improper medical care often causes a patient’s bad medical condition to spiral out of control. Many victims of medical malpractice live with a lifetime of pain. Many victims die.
While every medical negligence claim is different, some of the common dangers and repercussions include:
- A patient’s condition worsens because of the improper care.
- A patient’s condition never improves when prompt and quality care would have improved the patient’s health.
- A patient suffers a new injury such as when a doctor operates on the wrong body part.
- A patient needs additional surgeries and other treatments to correct the initial medical mistakes.
- A patient and his or her family suffers emotional trauma due to the failure to improve or the worsening of a patient’s health.
In the most tragic cases, a patient dies because he/she did not receive the required treatments at the required time.
Who is liable for medical malpractice in Richland?
Our Richland medical malpractice lawyers file claims against all responsible parties. Possible defendants include:
- Hospitals
- Physicians – general physicians and specialists
- Birth doctors and midwives
- Nurses
- Pharmacists
- ER doctors and hospitals
- Anesthesiologists
- Diagnostic laboratories
- Medical technicians
How much is my Richland medical malpractice claim worth?
Every case is different, and there is no way to determine how much a medical malpractice claim is worth without first reviewing your medical history and treatment, the extent of your injuries, and your financial losses. However, under the law you have the right to seek certain types of damages for an injury claim. We demand compensation for all your:
- Medical expenses including – corrective surgeries, doctor visits, rehabilitative care, assistive devices, and medication – for the rest of your life.
- Lost income because you couldn’t work until you received the proper medical care, and/or if you can’t work due to the medical malpractice.
- Pain and suffering including the inability to use any body part as you could before the malpractice occurred.
- Compensation for scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of consortium.
If a spouse, domestic partner, parent, or child died, we file a wrongful death and survival claim on behalf of the eligible family members.
At Telaré Law, our Richland medical malpractice attorneys prepare your case for trial. We only negotiate with insurance companies when you have a correct diagnosis, and when the status of your recovery or inability to recover is clear. We work with our network of healthcare providers and any new doctors you must show what medical care you will need for the rest of your life, your financial losses, and the type of life you’ll have due to the medical malpractice.
How long do I have to file a medical malpractice claim in Washington?
In Washington, a medical malpractice claim must be filed within three years of the date of the malpractice. It may be possible to extend the time for filing if the patient was a minor at the time of the malpractice, or if the patient couldn’t reasonably have known malpractice had occurred until after the medical mistakes happened.
The best course of action is to speak with a Richland medical malpractice lawyer from Telaré Law immediately. The sooner you meet with us, the faster we can answer your questions and direct you to physicians who can provide a second opinion. If your physician or health provider is not competent, other patients may suffer if you delay filing your claim.
Can I afford a Richland medical malpractice attorney?
Yes, you can. At Telaré Law, we handle all personal injury cases, including medical malpractice cases, on a contingency fee basis. This means, we only receive a fee if there is a jury verdict in your favor, or the case settles with your consent. We are paid from the award or settlement, so you don’t have to pay us directly. Even our initial consultation is free.
Do you have a medical malpractice attorney near me?
Telaré Law maintains an office in Richland at 1321 Columbia Park Trail, Suite B, in Richland, WA. We also have an office in Kennewick. Since many medical malpractice victims are often very ill, we meet you at your home or a healthcare facility when necessary.
Experience counts. Speak with a seasoned Richland medical malpractice lawyer now
Telaré Law has the confidence and resources to assert that doctors, hospitals, and other health providers made medical mistakes. We hold health providers to their duty of competent medical care. Patients and families should call our Richland injury lawyers at (509)-737-8500 or use our contact form. The consultation is free. We advocate for malpractice victims in Richland, Pasco, Walla Walla, Pullman, Othello, Moses Lake, Ritzville, and all Southeast Washington.
