Cranston Medical Malpractice Lawyers

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice is a form of professional negligence that occurs when a healthcare provider fails to provide the appropriate standard of care, resulting in harm to the patient. Medical malpractice can occur in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices. It can also involve a wide range of healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other medical professionals.

At Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C., we understand the many challenges you are facing if you or someone you love has been the victim of medical malpractice. Our Cranston medical malpractice attorneys are here to help you fight for the justice and fair recovery you are owed. We have been serving the needs of injured individuals and their families for over four decades, and we have a proven track record of success in even the most complex medical malpractice cases.

Call our office at (401) 200-4059 or contact us online to request a free, confidential consultation with a member of our team.

What are the Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice can occur in virtually any healthcare setting and can involve a wide range of healthcare providers. However, some types of medical malpractice are more common than others.

These include:

• Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis: Failure to diagnose a medical condition or disease in a timely manner can lead to delayed treatment and worsened outcomes. Misdiagnosis involves an incorrect diagnosis, which may lead to unnecessary and potentially harmful treatments.
• Surgical Errors: Surgical malpractice can occur during surgery or other invasive procedures. This includes errors such as operating on the wrong body part, leaving surgical instruments inside the patient, or performing unnecessary surgery.
• Medication Errors: Mistakes in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medications can lead to serious harm. This may include giving the wrong dosage, prescribing the wrong medication, or failing to consider a patient's allergies.
• Birth Injuries: Birth-related medical malpractice cases can involve harm to the baby or mother during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. This may include errors in monitoring, failure to perform a timely cesarean section, or improper use of delivery tools.
• Anesthesia Errors: Administering anesthesia requires precision, and errors in dosage or monitoring can lead to serious complications, including brain damage or death.
• Hospital-Acquired Infections: Patients may develop infections during hospital stays, and if proper sanitation and hygiene protocols are not followed, the hospital or healthcare provider may be held responsible.
• Failure to Obtain Informed Consent: Patients have the right to be informed about the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a medical procedure before giving their consent. Failure to provide this information can lead to a malpractice claim.
• Nursing Home Neglect or Abuse: Negligence or abuse in nursing homes can result in physical or emotional harm to residents. This can include neglecting basic needs, inadequate medical care, or intentional harm.
• Radiology Errors: Mistakes in interpreting medical images, such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans, can lead to misdiagnosis and improper treatment.

How Do I Know If I Have a Medical Malpractice Case?

Not all instances of medical malpractice are grounds for a lawsuit. In order to have a valid medical malpractice claim, you typically need to establish certain elements.

Here are the elements you must prove to succeed in a medical malpractice lawsuit in Rhode Island:

1. Duty of Care: You must establish that the healthcare provider owed you a duty of care. This duty is typically defined by the standard of care that a reasonably competent healthcare professional in the same field would provide under similar circumstances.
2. Breach of Standard of Care: You need to show that the healthcare provider breached the standard of care owed to you. This involves demonstrating that the provider's actions or omissions deviated from what a reasonably competent professional would have done in similar circumstances.
3. Causation: You must establish a direct link between the healthcare provider's breach of the standard of care and the harm you suffered. In other words, you need to show that the provider's actions or negligence were a substantial factor in causing your injuries.
4. Damages: You need to demonstrate that you suffered actual harm or damages as a result of the healthcare provider's breach of the standard of care. This can include physical injuries, emotional distress, additional medical expenses, or other losses.

In Rhode Island, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice is three years from the date of the injury or one year from the date the injury was discovered, or reasonably should have been discovered, whichever comes first.

Why Choose Us?

At Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C., we have been serving the needs of injured individuals and their families for over four decades. We have a proven track record of success in even the most complex medical malpractice cases, and we are prepared to fight for you.

Our Cranston medical malpractice lawyers have the resources, experience, and skill to handle all types of medical malpractice claims, from those involving diagnostic errors to those involving surgical errors, medication errors, and more. We understand the many challenges you are facing, and we are here to provide the compassionate, personalized legal guidance you need and the aggressive advocacy you deserve.

There are no upfront costs to hiring our firm, and you only owe us a fee if we recover compensation for you. Contact us at (401) 200-4059 today to get started with a free consultation.