Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Surprise, AZ

In Arizona, medical malpractice, also known as medical negligence, occurs when a doctor, nurse, hospital, or other healthcare provider fails to provide an acceptable level of care, causing patient harm as a result. Victims may be entitled to significant compensation for their losses.

Medical malpractice cases are complex and challenging. If you believe a negligent medical error harmed you, it is crucial to speak with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible.

At Mushkatel Robbins & Becker, PLLC, our medical malpractice lawyers provide qualified legal counsel to people who’ve been injured by the negligence of medical professionals in Surprise and surrounding areas of Arizona. We have the skills and resources necessary to take on any case, large or small.

Contact us now for a confidential consultation if you suspect that you’ve been the victim of malpractice.

What Is Medical Malpractice?

In Arizona, malpractice occurs when a health care provider fails to provide the standard of care reasonably expected of professionals in their same specialty, and that failure leads to injury or death.

According to a study by Johns Hopkins University, medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Medical errors that don’t result in death frequently occur as well.

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement and NORC at the University of Chicago reports that 21 percent of people living in the United States have experienced a medical error.

How an Experienced Surprise Medical Malpractice Lawyer Can Help You

Pursuing a medical malpractice claim is not always easy, but with the right legal team on your side, it is possible to hold the at-fault party or parties accountable for the harm you’ve suffered. Because dissatisfaction with the outcome of treatment does not automatically mean that a healthcare provider was negligent, it is crucial to build a convincing case if you suspect that malpractice occurred.

A medical malpractice attorney can thoroughly investigate your case and consult with medical experts in the same field to determine what a reasonably competent professional would have done in a similar situation. If they had taken different measures when presented with factors like those in your case, you might have a valid claim against the provider who harmed you.

Seeking compensation from a doctor, medical facility, or another healthcare provider can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. The sooner the medical malpractice attorneys at Mushkatel Robbins & Becker, PLLC, can get started on your case, the better.

Common Types of Medical Malpractice in Surprise, Arizona

Medical malpractice can occur in a variety of ways. Some examples include:

• Misdiagnosis – If an illness is incorrectly diagnosed or is not identified promptly – such as cancer or a heart attack mistaken for something non-life-threatening, for example – that gives the disease a chance to become more severe, possibly shortening the patient’s lifespan and causing additional suffering.
• Failure to diagnose – If a patient visits a health care provider with specific complaints, and that provider fails to prescribe the proper tests or fully explore the problem, it can worsen the illness or cause premature death.
• Misinterpretation of a lab result or failure to notify the patient about a lab result – If a medical professional misinterprets law results or fails to make the patient aware of them, they may not get the prompt care they need.
• Anesthesia errors – Using anesthesia on a patient undergoing an invasive procedure involves a delicate balance and close monitoring. If the patient receives too little anesthesia, the patient may awaken during the procedure – too much, and they may never wake up.
• Prescription of the wrong medication or the wrong dosage – This can be a very dangerous mistake, resulting in a wide variety of adverse reactions, including reactions with other prescribed medications the patient may be taking.
• Premature discharge of a patient from the hospital or release from medical care – When a patient is not fully improved or not improved enough to leave the supervision of medical personnel, it can result in tragedy.
• Failure to warn a patient of risks – If a health care provider is aware of certain risks but does not inform the patient, they put the patient at risk.
• Surgical errors – When surgery goes badly, it can create additional problems for the patient, trigger infections, or even cause death.
• Birth injuries – Improper care during the birth of a child can result in severe injuries that can affect the child forever, limiting their potential and causing suffering for both the child and the child’s family.
• Lack of informed consent – When medical providers do not advise the patient of all of the risks associated with a particular treatment or surgical procedure, the patient cannot effectively consent to the procedure.

Who Could Be Liable for Medical Malpractice in Arizona?

Any professional healthcare provider or medical entity involved in improper care or poor decisions and judgment in a patient’s care may be liable for medical malpractice. Potential examples include:

• Doctors

• Nurses

• Respiratory therapists

• Chiropractors

• Anesthesiologists 

• Dentists

• Pharmacists

• Physician’s assistants

• Nurse practitioners

• Hospitals

• Medical practices

• Pharmaceutical companies

• Physical therapists

How to Prove Medical Malpractice

Examples of the many potential sources for proving medical practice can include:

• Expert witnesses – For example, a professional with a respected background in a particular medical discipline.
• Medical records – This provides a detailed time-based history of the patient’s care.
• Drug records – If the wrong drugs were prescribed or administered, this information would be vital.
• Hospital protocols – If medical professionals did not follow proper protocols or standards and someone was injured, malpractice might have occurred.
• Pathologists – If someone dies due to medical malpractice, the findings from an autopsy could be vital.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for Arizona Medical Malpractice Claims?

In Arizona, the Statute of Limitations deadline for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is two years. The clock on this period does not begin until the patient realizes – or reasonably should realize – that malpractice occurred.

If you file your lawsuit more than two years after the malpractice occurred, you will have to establish that you did not learn of the injury or illness and could not have known even if you exercised due diligence within that timeframe. That could be challenging to prove, so make sure to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as you have reason to suspect malpractice might have occurred.

Contact a Surprise Medical Malpractice Lawyer

At Mushkatel Robbins & Becker, PLLC, our attorneys have more than 50 years of combined experience representing victims of medical malpractice in Surprise and across Arizona. Our service-based approach to your case gives you the personalized attention that you need and deserve – because no two cases are alike – combined with aggressive representation focused on seeking the best possible outcome in your case.

Contact us now for a confidential consultation with one of our Surprise medical malpractice lawyers.