Medical Malpractice Attorney Helping Victims Across Washington DC
Getting medical care is an act of trust. We expect that the medical professionals caring for us have the right education, training, and experience. We also expect that they are paying attention to what we say so they can fix whatever is wrong. But even the most qualified medical professionals are human. They sometimes make mistakes, whether that is due to failing to listen to the patient, being overworked and distracted, or simply having an off day. Clinics and hospitals have insurance policies to cover the mistakes their employees make. However, the insurance company is in the business of making money—not taking care of you.
A misread chart or inaccurate diagnosis can cause lifelong physical and emotional suffering. If you have been injured, you deserve financial support to help you and your family recover and move forward with life. Expenses go beyond medical costs—victims of medical negligence may have life-long disabilities, reduced work capacity, and lost income, not to mention the physical and emotional pain and suffering. It takes a skilled medical malpractice attorney to get adequate payment for these losses. Contact my office today to have me take over the fight while you heal.
Medical Mistakes Can Have Permanent Consequences for Patients
Healthcare professionals have a sworn duty to provide treatment that meets the appropriate medical standard of care. Despite this responsibility to their patients, over a million people are harmed every year by medical errors, the majority of which could have been prevented with a little more attention and care.
I can help when one of the following kinds of medical errors harms you or a loved one:
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. Doctors have a duty to listen to patients and perform reasonable testing to ensure an accurate diagnosis. Unfortunately, some physicians will treat the symptoms of a disease without finding the underlying cause, perform unnecessary procedures, or make the right diagnosis only after years of unnecessary treatment.
- Failure to diagnose. Patients may suffer irreversible or fatal effects from a failed diagnosis. If a physician misses the signs of a dangerous condition, patients are denied early and effective treatments for heart attacks, cancer, strokes, or autoimmune diseases.
- Emergency room negligence. Emergency rooms are hectic places staffed by overworked doctors and nurses. When fatigue and pressure to “empty the rooms” combine, patients may be discharged too early, contract an infection from an unsterile room, or suffer unnecessarily due to an emergency room mistake.
- Communication and charting errors. Failure to keep accurate medical records can result in medication errors and interactions, allergic reactions, or even performing surgery on the wrong patient.
- Anesthesia/intubation errors. Improperly administered anesthetic or intubation during surgical procedures may cause catastrophic injuries, including brain damage, paralysis, coma, or death.
- Birth injuries/prenatal care errors. Birth injuries often occur due to a failure to notice pregnancy-related complications, monitor fetal heart rate, or perform a timely cesarean section when a baby is in distress. Forceps injuries or lack of oxygen can result in brain or nerve trauma, increasing the risk of neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy.
- Pediatric malpractice. Kids are not tiny adults. Their bodies and systems are vastly different than ours and should be treated as such. Despite this fact, children often suffer injuries from unnecessary procedures, too much anesthesia, or prescribing too high a dose of medication.
Let A Medical Malpractice Attorney Get the Compensation You Deserve
Medical malpractice is a complex area of law, and the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland have different requirements to bring a case—including varying statutes of limitations. In most cases, it falls to the victim to prove that malpractice occurred and determine who is responsible for their suffering. This is a difficult task since many errors extend beyond a doctor or nurse—and can even be caused by systemic problems within a hospital or medical facility.
It is no surprise that medical providers are slow to admit mistakes out of fear that it could end their medical careers. Unfortunately, it takes a skilled attorney to get to the truth. I take pride in my tenacious investigative and researching skills, and I won’t rest until I know whether a health care employee, facility, medical technician, pharmacy, or ambulance company contributed to your injuries. If you or a loved one has been hurt by medical negligence, you should contact Kitchel Law, PLLC right away to discuss your options. Contact me today to get the help you need.