Are you or a loved one suffering from the harm caused by a doctor’s mistake in Lafayette, LA? Contact an experienced Lafayette medical malpractice lawyer at Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers today. We can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, trauma, and other injury-related damages.
Since we opened our doors in 2018, we’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. We put over 50 years of experience work in every case we took on. If you were injured due to a medical error, call our Lafayette medical malpractice lawyers at (337) 473-2991 to schedule a free consultation today.
How Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With a Medical Malpractice Case in Lafayette
Your health is your most important asset. When your healthcare provider violates your trust, you should be able to hold them accountable. Unfortunately, medical malpractice laws are complicated, and victims don’t always have an easy time recovering compensation in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Our experienced Lafayette personal injury attorneys at Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can help. We have decades of experience going toe-to-toe with major insurance companies–and winning. We know the law and we’ll anticipate the tricks insurance companies like to use to take advantage of victims.
When you hire our team, you’ll benefit from a trusted advocate who will:
- Conduct a full investigation to find out what happened
- Determine who is legally liable for your injuries
- Assess your case value and demand a fair settlement
- Hire respected experts who can strengthen your claim and provide the necessary testimony
- Negotiate with the at-fault doctor, hospitals, and their insurance companies
Of course, money can’t take away the harm you’ve suffered. It can help you get the needed treatment and move on with your life. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
What is Medical Malpractice in Louisiana?
All medical providers must provide competent care. That said, no doctor can promise a perfect outcome in every case. Your doctor must provide a level of care that complies with the appropriate “standard of care.” That standard of care is based on what a reasonable, trained healthcare provider would do under the circumstances.
The standard also depends on your medical provider’s level of training. For example, when a cardiologist provides care, their actions will be compared to those that a reasonable, trained cardiologist would provide under the circumstances.
The Types of Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle in Lafayette
Our lawyers in Lafayette have the experience to handle any type of medical negligence case, including those involving:
- Anesthesia errors
- Emergency room errors
- Medication errors
- Surgical errors
- Birth injuries
- Bed sores and pressure ulcers
- Failure to diagnose cancer and other diseases
- Dental malpractice
- Pharmaceutical errors
- Radiology errors
Any type of medical error has the potential to change your life in significant ways. Our lawyers are dedicated to helping injured patients get justice. Contact us today if you even suspect you were a victim.
How Much Money is My Lafayette Medical Malpractice Case Worth?
Different factors will impact your case value. The most important is the severity of the harm you have suffered.
When evaluating your case value, our attorneys will consider:
- The nature and severity of the doctor’s mistake
- How the error is likely to impact your future
- The types of medical care you’ve needed because of the mistake and the cost
- How your work, education, and quality of life have been impacted
- Your out-of-pocket expenses
When you’re seeking compensation for injuries, it may seem like the insurance company holds all the cards. You don’t have to let them control the situation. Instead, contact an experienced Lafayette medical malpractice attorney who knows how much compensation you deserve and will fight for every dollar.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Medical Negligence in Lafayette?
As in any personal injury case, you can seek compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages.
Depending on your unique situation, examples of those damages include:
- Past medical costs
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages during your recovery
- Reduced earning potential if you suffered a long-term impairment
- Nursing care
- In-home assistance
- Rehabilitation
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced life expectancy
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
Your case may also qualify for punitive damages. While punitive damages are rare, they may be available if the defendant’s acts were particularly shocking or reckless.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Louisiana?
Medical malpractice lawyers typically charge contingency fees. Before you hire our firm, we’ll discuss a percentage. When your case is resolved, we take that percentage of your settlement or verdict. So, there are never any upfront costs or retainer fees.
Can Louisiana Comparative Negligence Laws Impact My Right to Damages After a Medical Error?
Believe it or not, negligent doctors and hospitals often try to blame patients for their own injuries. They might claim you failed to follow doctor’s orders or did something to worsen your own condition.
Louisiana has pure comparative negligence laws. You don’t lose your right to compensation even if your acts somehow contributed to your injuries or made them worse. Instead, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.
What Are Possible Negative Health Effects Due to Medical Malpractice?
Medical errors can impact various aspects of your life. Some injuries can last for years or may even be permanent.
Some examples of the types of consequences resulting from medical negligence include:
- Brain injuries
- Blood clots
- Stroke
- Chronic pain
- Reduced life expectancy
- Loss of mobility
- Infection
- Sepsis
- Shock
- Organ damage
Many victims of medical negligence struggle with severe depression and other mental health issues. You also deserve to be compensated for these more intangible consequences–which, in reality, can impact your physical health.
What Elements Do I Have to Prove to Win a Medical Malpractice Case in Louisiana?
As in any personal injury case, doctors can be held liable when they’re negligent. If the doctor’s treatment was unsuccessful but not negligent, you can’t recover damages.
The elements of a general negligence case are:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
You’ll have to prove certain specific elements to win compensation in a medical malpractice case.
Those elements include:
- You were the defendant’s patient, so they owed you a duty of care.
- Your healthcare provider made some error, and deviated from the standard of care in some way (a breach of their duty).
- That deviation directly caused you to suffer some type of harm.
- You suffered specific damages as a result.
Expert witness testimony is critical in medical malpractice cases. You’ll need a respected medical expert to testify about the level of care you received and the care you should have received.
How Long Do I Have to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit After a Doctor’s Mistake in Louisiana?
You generally have only one year to file a lawsuit based on medical negligence in Louisiana. The one-year statute of limitations starts to run on the date you suffered the injury.
That said, you might not discover the mistake right away. In these cases, a discovery rule applies. The clock starts to run on the date you discover or reasonably should have discovered the error.
Another rule provides a firm three-year time limit for filing a lawsuit. Regardless of when you discover the injury, you cannot file a lawsuit after more than three years have passed.
Contact a Leading Lafayette Medical Malpractice Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today
Medical mistakes can be devastating for patients. If you or a family member is suffering, an experienced Lafayette medical malpractice lawyer can help you fight for justice. Contact our injury firm at Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule your free consultation today.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Lafayette, LA
Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers
1318 Camellia Boulevard, Suite 206, Lafayette, LA, 70508
(337) 473-2991