Which element of malpractice is hardest to prove?
Medical malpractice is a legal term when a healthcare professional fails to provide a patient with the appropriate standard of care, resulting in injury or death. To win a medical malpractice lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove four elements. However, one element is harder to prove than the others. Unless you can demonstrate causation for your injuries, you may have a hard time collecting compensation. Find out how a medical malpractice lawyer in Connecticut can help you prove causation and argue on your behalf through your case.
These four elements are common to every successful medical malpractice case:
- Duty – The healthcare professional owed a duty of care to the patient
- Breach – The healthcare professional breached that duty of care
- Causation – The breach of duty caused the patient’s injury
- Damages – The patient suffered damages as a result of the injury
Of these four elements of medical malpractice, causation is often the hardest to prove. It can be difficult to establish that the patient’s injury would not have occurred but for the healthcare professional’s negligence. Several factors can make causation challenging to prove, including:
- Other underlying health conditions
- Patient’s failure to follow prescribed treatment
- Unforeseeable complications
To prove causation, the plaintiff must typically present expert medical testimony establishing that the healthcare professional’s negligence was a “substantial factor” in causing the patient’s injury. This means that the negligence must have been a significant cause of the injury, but it does not have to be the only cause. Even if the plaintiff is able to prove causation, they may still not be able to win their case if the damages they suffered are not significant.
In most cases, the plaintiff must prove that they have suffered actual damages, such as medical expenses or lost wages. However, in some cases, the plaintiff may be able to recover from “pain and suffering,” which is the emotional and physical distress caused by the injury. This makes it critical to work with a medical malpractice lawyer.
The most common way to prove causation in a medical malpractice case is by using the “but for” test. This test asks the question: “But for” the healthcare professional’s negligence, would the patient have been injured? If the answer is yes, then the negligence was a substantial factor in causing the injury.
For example, let’s say that a patient is admitted to the hospital with a broken leg. The doctor orders a cast, but the cast is not applied correctly. As a result, the patient’s leg does not heal properly, and they develop a permanent limp. In this case, the “but for” test would be satisfied. The patient would not have developed a limp if the cast had been applied correctly.
In some cases, the “but for” test may not be enough to prove causation. This is because the patient’s injury may have been caused by a combination of factors, including the healthcare professional’s negligence and other factors beyond the professional’s control. In these cases, the court may use the material contribution test.
The material contribution test asks whether the healthcare professional’s negligence contributed materially to the patient’s injury? If the answer is yes, then the negligence may be enough to establish causation, even if it was not the only cause of the injury.
Proving causation can be complex and challenging in a medical malpractice case. It is crucial to have a skilled medical malpractice lawyer on your side to help you navigate the legal process and fight for the compensation you deserve.
How much are most medical malpractice settlements?
When dealing with medical malpractice, understanding “how much is the average medical malpractice settlement?” is crucial for individuals who have suffered due to medical errors. At The Strom Law Firm in Columbia, SC, we provide committed representation for clients facing personal injury, criminal defense, and complex litigation, including medical malpractice cases. Our experienced legal team is here to help you pursue the compensation you deserve and guide you through every stage of your case.
Medical malpractice settlements can vary greatly depending on multiple factors, including the severity of the injury, the complexity of the case, and the medical professional’s responsibility. According to national statistics, the average medical malpractice settlement is often in the range of $250,000 to $500,000, though significant cases involving life-altering injuries can reach millions. For those in South Carolina, settlements are influenced by state-specific laws and caps on certain damages.
Several critical factors can impact the amount awarded in a medical malpractice settlement:
- Severity of the injury
- Complexity of the case
- Medical professional’s responsibility
Our team at The Strom Law Firm in Columbia, SC, has the experience to ensure clients receive fair compensation for injuries resulting from medical malpractice. We understand the legal nuances involved and are dedicated to offering reliable support throughout the process.
Choosing a “lawyer near me” with experience in medical malpractice cases is essential for building a strong case. The Strom Law Firm has represented many clients in Columbia and throughout South Carolina, bringing justice to those affected by medical negligence. If you’re seeking a trusted medical malpractice attorney in Columbia, SC, reach out to discuss your case with our team.
The average settlement for medical malpractice varies significantly but often falls between $250,000 and $500,000. However, cases involving more severe or permanent injuries can result in higher amounts.
Medical malpractice cases can take several months to a few years, depending on factors like case complexity, court schedules, and the negotiation process.
Yes, pain and suffering damages can be pursued in medical malpractice cases. These non-economic damages account for the emotional and physical toll of medical negligence.
Yes, having a knowledgeable attorney can greatly improve your case’s outcome. They handle the legal complexities and negotiate settlements on your behalf.
Yes, South Carolina has caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases, which can affect the final settlement amount.
According to South Carolina laws, medical malpractice is defined as “doing that which the reasonably prudent health care provider or health care institution would not do, or not doing that which the reasonably prudent health care provider or health care institution would do in the same or similar circumstances.”
It can occur in many ways, with the most common examples being:
Failure to diagnose
Surgical errors
Medication errors
Medical malpractice can involve any medical professional—not just doctors.
What is the best defense against medical malpractice?
FOR EXAMPLE, IN DEFENSE OF A NEGLIGENCE CLAIM, A DOCTOR MAY ARGUE THAT:
Their care was in line with the standard of care upheld in the medical profession.
The patient’s injuries were not the result of a medical error.
The healthcare provider was not the cause of the patient’s injuries.
What is the basic for most medical malpractice claims?
Medical malpractice law in the United States is derived from English common law, and was developed by rulings in various state courts. Medical malpractice lawsuits are a relatively common occurrence in the United States. The legal system is designed to encourage extensive discovery and negotiations between adversarial parties with the goal of resolving the dispute without going to jury trial. The injured patient must show that the physician acted negligently in rendering care, and that such negligence resulted in injury. To do so, four legal elements must be proven: (1) a professional duty owed to the patient; (2) breach of such duty; (3) injury caused by the breach; and (4) resulting damages. Money damages, if awarded, typically take into account both actual economic loss and noneconomic loss, such as pain and suffering.
The concept that every person who enters into a learned profession undertakes to bring to the exercise of a reasonable degree of care and skill dates back to the laws of ancient Rome and England. Writings on medical responsibility can be traced back to 2030 BC when the Code of Hammurabi provided that “If the doctor has treated a gentlemen with a lancet of bronze and has caused the gentleman to die, or has opened an abscess of the eye for a gentleman with a bronze lancet, and has caused the loss of the gentleman’s eye, one shall cut off his hands [18].”
Under Roman law, medical malpractice was a recognized wrong. Around 1200 AD, Roman law was expanded and introduced to continental Europe. After the Norman conquest of 1066, English common law was developed, and during the reign of Richard Coeur de Lion at the close of the 12th century, records were kept in the Court of Common Law and the Plea Rolls. These records provide an unbroken line of medical malpractice decisions, all the way to modern times. One early medical malpractice case from England, for example, held that both a servant and his master could sue for damages against a doctor who had treated the servant and made him more ill by employing “unwholesome medicine [4].” In 1532, during the reign of Charles V, a law was passed that required the opinion of medical men to be taken formally in every case of violent death; this was the precursor to requiring expert testimony from a member of the profession in medical negligence claims, to establish the standard of care.
In the United States, medical malpractice suits first appeared with regularity beginning in the 1800s [3]. However, before the 1960s, legal claims for medical malpractice were rare, and had little impact on the practice of medicine [21]. Since the 1960s the frequency of medical malpractice claims has increased; and today, lawsuits filed by aggrieved patients alleging malpractice by a physician are relatively common in the United States. One survey of specialty arthroplasty surgeons reported that more than 70% of respondents had been sued at least once for medical malpractice during their career [23].