Lowell Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Individuals often look to doctors, physicians, and other medical professionals for aid during routine check-ups and to  keep them safe during times of crisis. These medical professionals must participate in rigorous education and training programs to perform their duties and follow a high standard of care for each patient they treat. However, mistakes due to negligence may still occur in a medical setting. These mistakes can leave patients with injuries, losses, and a long road to recovery.  

No one who has been injured due to medical negligence should have to fight for justice alone. The Lowell medical malpractice attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers have a proven track record of achieving the best possible outcomes for their clients as they pursue the fair compensation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation and learn more about how our Lowell personal injury attorneys can help you, call our office at (617) 391-9001 or complete our contact form today. 

What Is Considered Medical Malpractice in Massachusetts?

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare professional such as a nurse, physician, or surgeon acts negligently during a patient’s care, resulting in an injury or harm. If you have been injured while in the care of a medical professional, you have the right to pursue legal action to achieve justice for your losses. Victims have up to three years after the incident date of the incident to pursue a claim against the negligent party in Massachusetts. While medical malpractice can take many forms, some of the most common examples include the following:

• Failure to accurately diagnose symptoms
• Misdiagnosis
• Failure to communicate effectively with other healthcare providers
• Prescription and medication errors
• Premature discharge
• Failure to follow up
• Disregard of a patient’s medical history
• Surgical errors

Medical malpractice is much different than a spontaneous accident occurring while in a medical setting. It is important to remember that medical negligence occurs when a patient is injured due to a preventable accident caused by the at-fault party not upholding their duty of care to their patients. If you are unsure if your case would be considered medical malpractice, speak with one of our knowledgeable Lowell medical malpractice lawyers as soon as possible. 

Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice Cases

Medical professionals in Massachusetts are held to a high professional standard of care. In other words, doctors must respond as any other equally trained medical professional would during a patient’s treatment. If a doctor deviates from this standard by acting negligently, they may make critical errors and cause their patients to suffer grievous harm. A few of the most common types of medical malpractice cases in Massachusetts include the following:

Diagnostic Errors

Diagnostic errors are among the most common and harmful types of medical malpractice and often have severe and lasting consequences for victims. When serious conditions such as heart attacks, cancer, or diabetes go undiagnosed or mistaken for another illness, significant medical complications can occur.

Anesthesia Errors

Anesthesia must be administered at the correct dose to be safe and effective for patients undergoing surgery or another medical procedure. Too much anesthesia can cause brain damage or even death, while too little may cause the patient to wake up during surgery. Both types of errors can have a considerable impact on the victim’s life and safety. If you suffered injuries from an anesthesia error, you may have grounds to hold the anesthesiologist accountable through a medical malpractice claim.

Birth Injuries

While some congenital disabilities occur naturally, many others result from healthcare provider negligence. During a challenging birth, the infant may need to be helped through the birth canal with forceps or medical vacuums. Unfortunately, when these tools are misused, the child may suffer severe, life-altering injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Prescription Errors

Prescription errors can happen in various medical settings, from pharmacies to hospitals to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. To protect yourself from harmful prescription errors, it is essential to double-check your medication and ensure your prescription is filled correctly. However, it is vital to note that many drug errors occur when a patient is unconscious or incapacitated while receiving IV medications.

Surgical Errors

While some surgeries are complex and have certain risks, many surgical errors are easily avoidable. When a doctor acts carelessly during surgery, they may end up operating on the wrong body part or leaving medical instruments inside the patient. To make matters worse, many victims of surgical errors are unaware of their injuries until they begin experiencing symptoms. This can often occur months or even years after the operation.

This is a partial list, and there are many more negligent errors a doctor may commit. If you suffered injuries due to medical malpractice in Lowell, an experienced attorney can investigate the cause of your injuries and pursue compensation for your losses on your behalf.

Factors Required to Prove Medical Negligence in Lowell

Most victims of medical malpractice will never even know what happened to them or why they were injured. That is why it is essential to speak with our knowledgeable team of Lowell attorneys if you believe you may have been the victim of medical malpractice. If you suspect that a medical professional was guilty of malpractice over the course of your care, you may be able to file a claim for damages. However, for order for your claim to be successful in Massachusetts, you must be able to prove the following criteria:

• Proving that the doctor owed the patient a duty of care
• Proving the doctor deviated from the standard of care
• Proving the doctor’s actions caused your injury
• Proving you suffered damages due to the doctor’s negligence

Establishing negligence in a medical malpractice case can be incredibly challenging, but you do not need to go through the Massachusetts claims process alone. If you believe you may be a victim of medical malpractice in Lowell, it is crucial to contact an attorney as soon as possible. The skilled Lowell medical malpractice lawyers at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers are committed to investigating every case to help their clients prove liability and collect the damages they need to move on with their lives and recover mentally and physically from their losses.

Can You Collect Damages From a Medical Malpractice Claim in Lowell?

After suffering an injury due to medical negligence, you may need serious medical care that can become costly over time.  At Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers, we believe that medical malpractice victims should not be made to foot the bill for their own recovery process. The skilled medical malpractice team at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers can help you recover damages for the losses you have suffered due to medical malpractice. Some of the damages you may be eligible to collect include the following:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and earning potential
• Significant disfigurement or disability
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Pain and suffering
• Wrongful death

If you are unsure what damages you may be eligible to collect, contact one of our Lowell medical malpractice lawyers who can help by going over the details of your claim. 

Speak With a Trusted Lowell Medical Malpractice Attorney

At Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers, our team is committed to ensuring each of our clients can recover the compensation they deserve for the full extent of their losses. Our award-winning team devotes 100% of their practices to litigation and has recovered hundreds of millions for their clients by providing one-of-a-kind legal representation.

To learn more about how our team can help you and schedule a free consultation, call us today at (617) 391-9001 or complete our contact form.