Understanding the law is important and so are your rights as a citizen. Knowing your rights help you know where you stand and how the law protects you and promotes your health, safety, and security.
In the case of personal injury and medical malpractice, one may think that this all falls into the same category since these are both associated with injuries. But a personal injury lawyer VA Beach can say that these are different from one another and are addressed in different ways.
Personal injury pertains to an injury acquired through the performance of a task or as a result of an accident, while medical malpractice involves the negligence of medical practitioners that resulted in complications or caused more damage.
For instance, a person is hurt in an accident and broke a leg, a personal injury law firm Virginia Beach lawyer can help process claims to recover the cost of treatment and loss of earning capacity. However, if your injury got worse during the treatment process because of a mistake by the attending physician, then the matter would be considered medical negligence and can be represented by an attorney specializing in medical malpractice cases.
Why should everyone be concerned about medical malpractice
People may be unaware of the gravity of medical malpractice, not just because it can be easily mistaken for personal injury, rather it makes these cases more complicated since it involves the professional conduct and competency of medical professionals in performing their tasks.
Due to the disparity in the knowledge of medicine between laypeople and doctors, many victims of medical malpractice avoid or stop pursuing cases against doctors.
Medical malpractice is the third most common cause of death in America and studies have shown that an estimated 225,000 in the United States die each year due to some form of medical malpractice ranging from surgical errors, wrong diagnosis, and incorrect drug dosages.
Surprisingly, only 2% of the victims of medical malpractice have filed claims for compensation and far less get their compensation for an injury, declining health, suffering, and pain.
It needs special attention
While medical malpractice may be a subset of personal injury, it is more complex and requires more technical attention considering the nature of the cases, unlike those from a road crash injury or a slip-and-fall case.
Medical malpractice claims are difficult and complex cases, which require more extensive research, documentation, and time. It may also cost more to litigate and take to court, so ensuring that these cases are handled properly by competent experts is a must.
Understand your rights
A personal injury lawyer VA Beach is needed to help one get through the legal proceedings for medical malpractice. It will be a more complex, extensive, and daunting process that needs to be handled by competent personal injury lawyers.
Everyone must know their rights and not be afraid especially if something wrong happened as a result of medical malpractice. You will not only be doing a service to yourself but to also help protect those that may fall into the same predicament as yours.