What Kind of Damages Can I Demand in My Georgia Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?

If you are the victim of medical malpractice, then you deserve to be fairly compensated. The only way to do that is to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the medical professionals responsible for your injuries. Whether your doctor failed to diagnose an illness or prescribed you the wrong medication, he or she needs to be held accountable.

Your Columbus medical malpractice lawyer will file a claim against the insurance carriers of all possible defendants. This may include the doctor or nurse who treated you. It could also include the medical facility where your surgery or treatment took place. As long as you talk to a personal injury attorney in Columbus when you discover a medical error, you should have a good chance of collecting damages.

Here, we will discuss the different types of damages your Columbus medical malpractice lawyer can demand on your behalf. We will also explain how Georgia law impacts the total amount you can receive. If you still have questions about your own medical malpractice case, contact our office right away.

Your Columbus Medical Malpractice Lawyer Will Demand Economic Damages

The first type of damages your personal injury attorney in Columbus will demand are economic damages. These are the sorts of things you can prove with receipts. Some of the types of damages that fall into this category include the following:

  • Lost wages
  • Lost future income
  • Medical bills
  • Other out-of-pocket expenses.

The amount your Columbus medical malpractice lawyer can demand depends on several factors. For example, if the mistake made by the defendant was egregious, you can demand more money. If, however, you didn’t really suffer a major loss, you can’t expect to receive all that much in damages.

Your Personal Injury Attorney in Columbus Will Also Demand Non-Economic Damages

In addition to the economic damages listed above, your personal injury attorney in Columbus will also demand non-economic damages. This includes things like pain and suffering and emotional distress. It also includes loss of consortium on the part of your spouse or significant other.

These damages can be a lot harder to prove. You can’t justify these damages with receipts or invoices. You need to find another way to show that you are entitled to these damages.

There Is a Cap on How Much You Can Receive in Non-Economic Damages in Georgia

If you sue your doctor or a medical facility for malpractice, there is a limit on how much you can receive. When it comes to non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, the most you can receive is $350,000.

If you happen to sue more than one facility or medical practice, then you can collect up to $700,000. However, anything more than that will be denied. This is because Georgia law caps the amount anybody can receive in non-economic damages. This limit applies to medical malpractice cases, not personal injury cases in general.

Columbus Medical Malpractice Lawyer Concept

The state limits the amount a doctor or medical facility has to pay because they don’t want to upset the apple cart. They know that if they allow plaintiffs to collect millions of dollars from a physician or medical center, they could go bankrupt.

They also don’t want doctors’ malpractice insurance rates to skyrocket because then fewer people will want to become a doctor. This may not seem fair, but it’s the truth. Your Columbus medical malpractice lawyer is well aware of this rule. That’s why they will make sure they get you as much as possible when it comes to your economic damages.

There Is a Good Chance Your Columbus Medical Malpractice Lawyer Will Settle Your Case

A lot of our clients worry that it will take years for their medical malpractice case to go to trial. People who are very sick as a result of their doctor’s negligence don’t have the luxury of time.

Some of our clients are suffering from a terminal illnesses and need their settlement money on an immediate basis. They want to make sure there is enough money for their family to cover their medical bills. The fact that these people even have to think about this while suffering is horrible. This is why our personal injury attorneys in Columbus work so hard to get our clients the money they deserve as quickly as possible.

The best way for us to do that is to negotiate a settlement in your case. We negotiate with the defendant’s attorney to get you as much money as possible. Since it’s in their best interest to settle as well, they are usually willing to discuss a settlement at some point in the case.

You Don’t Want to Wait Too Long Before You Meet with a Personal Injury Attorney in Columbus

In Georgia, you have two years to file your medical malpractice lawsuit. However, that doesn’t mean you should wait to hire a personal injury attorney in Columbus. Medical malpractice cases are more complicated than other personal injury cases. Your Columbus medical malpractice lawyer may need to hire expert witnesses. You may need to meet with several doctors to determine what kind of medical care you’ll need in the future.

If you wait too long to retain your attorney, one of two things will happen. Your attorney may not have enough time to fully prepare your case. This means that your case will not be as strong as it could have been. The other possibility is that you wait too long and end up missing the statute of limitations. If this happens, your case will be dismissed and you will walk away with nothing. You will have no opportunity to collect damages.

We suggest that you contact our office as soon as possible after you learn of your injury. You can sit down with one of our Columbus medical malpractice lawyers and find out if you have a valid case. They can also give you an idea of what they think your case may be worth. If you call today, we can schedule your free, initial consultation right over the phone. Or, if you prefer, you can do so through our website.

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