Many people associate medical malpractice cases with surgery and/or childbirth. However, medical negligence can occur in any medical field and to any patient, including children and teens.
Did a pediatrician or other medical professional injure your child? Our Fort Lauderdale pediatrician malpractice lawyers can help you and your child obtain fair and just compensation for their damages.
Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers has been standing up for the rights of injury victims throughout Broward County and South Florida for over 28 years. Our legal team has the resources, skills, and knowledge necessary to handle complex pediatric medical malpractice claims.
Contact the Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers today by calling (954) 287-0566 to schedule your free consultation with experienced medical malpractice lawyers in Fort Lauderdale. We are here for you during this difficult time.
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How Our Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After A Pediatric Malpractice Incident
Medical malpractice is almost always tragic. However, it’s especially devastating when it involves a child. Medical malpractice can cause serious and disabling injuries to children and teens. If a medical professional injured your child, you need skilled legal representation to protect their rights.
Our law firm has fought for children and adults injured in medical malpractice incidents for almost thirty years. We have recovered millions of dollars for these injured patients, earning us recognition as a Top 25 Medical Malpractice Lawyer. We want to fight to recover the maximum amount of compensation available for your case.
When you hire our Fort Lauderdale injury attorney to represent your family, you can expect us to:
- Conduct a full investigation into how your child was injured
- Utilize medical experts to determine the extent of your child’s injuries and damages
- File claims and handle all communications with the insurance companies
- Aggressively pursue each party who is liable for your child’s pain and suffering
- Provide support and guidance as you seek medical care for your child and deal with the consequences of medical negligence
Childhood medical errors can occur during surgery, sick visits, and physicals. Sadly, the result could be a lifelong condition that causes your child pain, suffering, and impairments.
If your child is the victim of medical malpractice, we want to help. Call our office to schedule a free consultation with a Fort Lauderdale medical malpractice lawyer.
Overview of Pediatrician Malpractice Claims
When a pediatrician fails to provide a patient with care that meets or exceeds the accepted medical standard and practices, that doctor could be guilty of medical malpractice. There have been a few studies related to pediatric malpractice.
In one study, the annual percentage rate for pediatrician malpractice claims was 3.1 percent. In another study, pediatricians accounted for about 2.97 percent of the claims, making pediatricians 10th among 28 medical specialties for closed claims.
Even though pediatricians may be sued for malpractice less than other physicians, the payout for pediatric malpractice claims are among the highest for all specialties.
What are Common Causes of Pediatrician Malpractice?
Pediatrician malpractice occurs for many reasons. A doctor may fail to identify a health concern because they are rushed, or fail to recognize the symptoms of an illness or condition.
Examples of pediatrician malpractice include, but are not limited to:
- Failing to conduct a thorough examination
- Misdiagnosis of a medical condition
- Emergency room errors
- Failure to diagnose a medical condition
- Surgical errors
- Birth injuries
- Medication and prescription errors
- Failing to refer a patient to a specialist
- Cancer misdiagnosis
- Failing to treat a medical condition
- Treating a child when the doctor is under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Miscommunication or failing to communicate with parents, nurses, and other staff members
- Failing to order diagnostic tests or misinterpreting the results from a test
Any medical error or mistake made with medical care could result in a malpractice claim if the negligence led to the child’s injury and damages.
Common Injuries Caused by Pediatrician Malpractice
Pediatrician malpractice could result in wrongful death, permanent impairments, and developmental delays. A child may incur brain damage, internal organ damage, spinal cord injuries, and many other conditions from medical negligence and errors. In some cases, a child may require lifelong personal care and medical care because of a mistake made by a pediatrician.
Children may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and damages. Damages in a pediatrician malpractice case may include:
- Cost of medical treatment and medical care
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental trauma and emotional distress
- Loss of quality of life
- Future loss of income and decreases in future earning potential
- Permanent impairments and disabilities
Compensation for damages can provide ongoing care for your child. In addition, it can pay for services and help that your child needs because of injuries caused by pediatrician malpractice.
How Do I Prove Malpractice by My Child’s Pediatrician?
The pediatrician can be held liable for damages caused by malpractice. In addition, nurses, hospitals, and other medical providers may also be named in a pediatrician malpractice lawsuit.
To prove malpractice, you must prove:
- The pediatrician owed your child a duty of care
- The pediatrician breached the duty of care
- The breach of care was the direct and proximate cause of your child’s injury
- Your child sustained damages because of the pediatrician’s conduct
Medical experts must establish the standard of care based on the facts of the case. They also explain how your child’s pediatrician breached the duty of care.
How Long Do I Have to File a Pediatrician Malpractice Lawsuit in Florida?
In most medical malpractice cases, a victim has two years from the date they discover the malpractice to file a lawsuit. However, no lawsuit can be filed more than four years after the malpractice occurred — unless there was concealment, fraud, or misrepresentation.
There is an exception for children under eight years of age. A parent can file a lawsuit two years after discovering medical malpractice if the malpractice occurred when the child was under the age of eight.
You should contact a medical malpractice lawyer immediately when you suspect medical errors or negligence has injured your child. The statute of limitations is strict and unforgiving, even in cases involving children.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Fort Lauderdale, FL Medical Malpractice Law Firm
If you believe your child’s pediatrician committed malpractice, contact our office to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Fort Lauderdale pediatrician malpractice attorney. We will fight to protect your child’s rights and get them the compensation they need to move forward with their life.
