Wrongful Death Caused by Medical Malpractice: How to Find Out if Your Loved One’s Doctor Was Negligent

Losing a loved one is one of life’s most painful experiences. The grief that you feel is made even more difficult if you suspect that their death was a result of negligence on the part of the medical professional who was entrusted with their care. When a person dies as a result of another person’s lack of appropriate care, the surviving family members have a right to file what is known as a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation for the medical expenses that were incurred, funeral and burial expenses, lost financial support, and even the pain and suffering that their loved one endured before their death. But before you can file this type of lawsuit, it is important to find out whether your suspicions are valid and whether medical malpractice actually occurred. If you have found yourself in this situation, the attorneys at Wallace Law can help. We are knowledgeable medical malpractice attorneys with an expansive network of resources that we can use to help determine whether your loved one’s doctor was negligent.

Medical malpractice is defined as a physician or other healthcare professional or facility falling short in their responsibility to meet a certain standard of care. Though patients and their families may have one idea of what that standard of care is, the truth is that not every poor medical outcome is a result of negligence. The legal standard for medical malpractice has been established as when others in the profession believe that the service falls short of what is generally accepted by others in the field.  In order to prove medical malpractice, Wallace Law’s attorneys seek to prove the following:

• That the healthcare professional and the patient had a doctor/patient relationship
• That the care that the healthcare professional provided fell short of the standard as interpreted by others in the field
• That the failure to provide the standard of care was what resulted in the patient’s injury (or in the case of wrongful death, in their death)

Medical malpractice cases rely on testimony provided by other medical professionals who have expertise in the applicable field. They generally testify as to whether the standard of care has been met, and explain how the care that was provided fell short in a way that makes it understandable to a judge and jury.

Proving medical malpractice can be very difficult. It requires the assistance of a law firm that has experience and knowledge of medical malpractice law, as well as a record of successfully pursuing wrongful death cases. Winning this type of case generally results in the survivors, which generally includes the surviving spouse, children or grandchildren, and parents of the deceased person, receiving compensation for loss of financial support, loss of companionship, loss of value of household services, and reasonable medical, funeral and burial expenses.  If you believe that your loved one’s death was the result of medical malpractice and would like to explore your legal options, contact the attorneys at Wallace Law today.