Connecticut Medical Malpractice Lawyers

When you get services and treatment from a medical professional, you put your life into their hands. Unfortunately, not every medical professional is up to the job. They are either inexperienced and improperly trained, or they may be careless and rushing. When a medical professional has injured you through their malpractice, you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation. However, these cases are often difficult and require the help of an experienced Connecticut medical malpractice lawyer.

What Types of Medical Malpractice Cases Does the Law Offices of Jason L. McCoy, LLC Handle?

Birth Injuries

We represent clients whose children have suffered Erb’s palsy, cerebral palsy, shoulder dystocia, umbilical cord compression, and other injuries caused by the negligence of obstetricians and their staff.

Failure to Diagnose

Sometimes, a doctor’s failure to diagnose or delay in diagnosing serious conditions like cancer or post-operative complications ends up resulting in even more serious injuries or death.

Surgical Errors

We represent victims of serious surgical errors, such as operating on the wrong limb, performing unnecessary amputations, or leaving a surgical instrument in the patient’s body.

Medication Errors

Prescribing or administering the wrong medication or the wrong dosage can cause serious injury or death.

Improper Fetal Monitoring

Fetal monitoring is one of the most critical components of safe delivery of healthy children. The doctors and nurses charged with monitoring the status of a fetus or recently born infant should be able to uncover problems such as:

• Fetal distress
• Umbilical cord compression
• Hypoxia and anoxia (lack of blood or oxygen)
• Signs of emergency requiring cesarean delivery (C-section)
• Errors associated with a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)

When doctors or nurses properly monitor the status of a fetus, there is a much greater chance that they will be able to detect the early warning signs of potential problems and take action to prevent injury or death.

In some cases, however, doctors and nurses fail to properly monitor the status of the child and mother, resulting in complications that can lead to:

• Erb’s Palsy
• Cerebral Palsy
• Shoulder Dystocia
• High bilirubin
• Brain Damage

Cancer

Cancer is one of the most common diseases to go undiagnosed and often misdiagnosed. In many cases, early intervention can lead to prolonged life or remission, but physicians sometimes fail to detect the signs of the disease in a timely manner.

Post-Operative Complications

When physicians fail to properly follow up on a patient’s concerns or complications following surgery, it can cause serious injury or even death.

Fetal Complications

Birth injuries can sometimes result from a doctor’s or nurse’s failure to properly monitor fetal life during pregnancy and delivery.

Psychological Issues

Psychiatrists may fail to properly diagnose a patient’s condition or address warning signs, leading to suicide.

We have handled surgical error cases involving:

• Instruments abandoned in a patient’s body: Sponges, surgical equipment, and other items are sometimes left behind in a patient’s body during surgery.
• Operating on the wrong body part: Sometimes, a physician may open up the wrong side of a patient’s body or operate on the wrong body part entirely.
• Anesthesia errors: Even the slightest miscalculation by an anesthesiologist before surgery can cause serious, long-term injuries or wrongful death.

How Does My Lawyer Prove Medical Malpractice?

Like any personal injury case, a medical malpractice lawsuit can be won by showing that the medical professional did something that would be considered unreasonable under the circumstances. A medical professional is not expected to be the preeminent expert in their field. However, they are expected to exercise the same amount of care that a doctor or other medical professional of reasonable training would use under the circumstances.

Since the medical professionals are usually the only ones who saw what happened, your attorney may build your case using the following techniques:

• They would obtain your medical records and give them to an expert witness who would review the care provided and give an opinion about whether it was reasonable. The expert witness would give their own opinion about what a reasonable doctor would have done under the circumstances.
• Your lawyer would be able to speak with the medical professionals in the discovery process if you file a lawsuit in court. Your medical malpractice attorney would take depositions, where they would ask questions of these medical professionals under oath.

What Types of Damages Can I Get in a Medical Malpractice Case?

Your compensation in a medical malpractice lawsuit can be considerable. Not only have you likely been seriously injured, but the defendant also has a large amount of insurance coverage to pay for all of your damages. If the insurance coverage is insufficient, you can obtain a judgment and go after the defendant’s assets.

 Your medical malpractice damages can include:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Embarrassment and humiliation
• Wrongful death damages for the family if a loved one died from medical malpractice

In a medical malpractice case, there is also a chance that you may obtain punitive damages based on the degree of the doctor’s fault. You would only be able to get punitive damages if you take your case to trial and win, which is a risk that you may not always want to take, given the possibility that the jury may not ruin your favor.

If your medical malpractice case results from a birth injury, you would also be entitled to damages that could care for your child for the rest of their life.

Why Do I Need a Medical Malpractice Lawyer?

Several challenges inherent in a medical malpractice lawsuit mean you need an experienced attorney to handle your case. These challenges may include:

• You must take a jury back into the doctor’s office and recreate what happened
• Juries have a natural tendency to see doctors as experts and believe them
• Medical malpractice cases are heavily dependent on science and a knowledge of medical practice
• Expert witnesses are subject to challenge, and an attorney needs to select the right one to withstand any challenge
• Your financial compensation could be substantial, making it imperative to know the exact amount of money that you are seeking
• Medical malpractice cases often involve at least some parts of the litigation process, meaning that they may take a considerable amount of time

The time to hire a medical malpractice attorney is as soon as possible after you realize you have been injured. Even if you have time to file a lawsuit, your attorney needs to be able to thoroughly prepare your claim before it is filed. 

Contact the Connecticut Medical Malpractice Lawyers at the Law Offices of Jason L. McCoy, LLC

The Connecticut medical malpractice lawyers at the Law Offices of Jason L. McCoy, LLC are not afraid to take on the doctor whose carelessness affected you or a loved one. You can schedule a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys by calling us today at 860-872-7741 or using our online contact form. Our offices are in Vernon, New Haven, and Waterbury, Connecticut, and we help clients in Tolland County, New Haven County, and Hartford County.