Indiana Injury Lawyer Blog
When a hospital or medical provider deviates from a generally accepted standard of care and causes harm to a patient, they may be liable for the patient’s injuries through an Indiana medical malpractice lawsuit. All personal injury lawsuits require plaintiffs to present a significant amount of evidence to establish their claim to damages. In addition to the typical evidentiary burdens that a plaintiff has to meet, Indiana medical malpractice laws impose additional obstacles on injury victims. There are various forms of medical malpractice, and injury victims should seek the representation of an Indiana malpractice attorney when pursuing these lawsuits.
The most common types of medical malpractice lawsuits stem from diagnosis errors, surgical errors, treatment failures, birth injuries, prescription drug errors, and laboratory mistakes. Laboratory professionals are responsible for the proper collection, handling, interpretation, and reporting of their results. Laboratory testing and their accompanying results are a critical part of an individual’s medical treatment, as these reports may affect diagnosis and dictate treatment. Moreover, laboratory machines, products, or devices may also cause severe injury or death to a patient. Injuries can occur if the handler does not know how to use the equipment correctly or if the device is defective. Defective devices may include, drains, tubes, pumps, measuring instruments, centrifuges, and catheters. When a lab error occurs, the consequences can be life-altering, or even fatal.
For example, recently, a national news report detailed the tragic death of infants receiving treatment at a neonatal intensive care unit in a hospital. Late last summer, several infants began to show signs of illness, and three subsequently died of a bacterial infection. During an investigation, the hospital discovered that the infants died after exposure to infected donor milk. The hospital’s infection control unit determined that the laboratory equipment used to measure the donor milk contained the deadly bacteria. The bacteria generally only present a threat to fragile individuals, such as preterm immunocompromised babies. Following the deaths and discovery of the bacteria, the hospital began diverting the care of premature babies to other hospitals. So far, one of the families who lost a child has filed a lawsuit against the hospital.
Have You Suffered Injuries Due to a Negligent Hospital or Medical Provider?
If you or a loved one suffered injuries as a result of a negligent healthcare provider or defective medical device, you should contact the Indiana medical malpractice attorneys at Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse. The attorneys at our law firm understand the devastating consequences that a healthcare provider’s negligence can have on a patient as well as their family. We have helped countless Indiana injury victims get the compensation they deserve from negligent doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers. Indiana’s medical malpractice laws require that injury victims file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations, so it is essential that you contact as soon as possible to avoid dismissal. Act quickly to preserve your rights and contact our office at 888-532-7766 to discuss your case with a dedicated Indiana medical malpractice attorney on our team.