Nurses’ Responsibility in Georgia Medical Malpractice Cases

It becomes challenging to hold the nursing staff responsible for Georgia medical malpractice cases. The process of getting surgery can become overwhelming for a patient. For this purpose, patients opt for doctors and surgeons who they completely trust. The majority of medical procedures go well, however, some unfortunate cases report negligence and mistakes leading to significant injuries to the patient.

In worse situations, medical malpractice can even cause the death of a patient. In such tragic events, the law permits lawsuits against medical care providers for financial and physical harm endured due to negligence. According to research conducted by Johns Hopkins, more than 250,000 deaths occur due to medical malpractice in the U.S. alone.

The Law for Georgia Medical Malpractice Cases:

Georgia medical malpractice cases proceed when medical professionals do not use a reasonable degree of care resulting in an injury to the patient. The care should be similar to what other doctors in the same profession provide to their patients. To put forward a valid claim for malpractices against the nurses, an injured person must fulfill the following elements:

  • Duty inherent in a doctor-patient relationship
  • Breach of duty between a doctor-patient relationship by failure to provide required skill and care
  • A connection between a breach and the patient’s injury

Usually, the doctors and nursing staff defend their medical decision by stating that they were completely careful in the circumstances. For this reason, the breach of duty in terms of required skills and care is often subject to dispute. Doctors claim that they did what other doctors would have done.

The law does not require doctors to be perfect, yet their negligence can lead to fatal consequences for the patient. Forgetting one primary medicine from the treatment can cause a patient’s death. Similarly, the doctors claim that the injury could be pre-existing or it was unavoidable.

In the court of Appeals in Georgia, a case was considered regarding medical malpractice against nurses at a hospital. The court proceedings uncovered a patient’s record where the patient was supposed to be given an antibiotic one hour before the surgery, the antibiotic was provided at 12:40 p.m. and the surgery was either started at 12:05 or 1:05 p.m. Both records were provided in the court.

However, this mere miscalculation leads to serious consequences for the patient. After twenty days the patient experienced drainage from the surgery, suffered neurological deficits, and right-sided paralysis. The patient claimed that she had to go for multiple surgeries and suffered permanent damages due to medical malpractice by nurses. It was revealed through the case that nurses could be held liable for the victim’s injuries.

Examples of Medical Malpractices in Georgia:

Anybody can make mistakes. There are several actions of doctors and healthcare providers that can cause mild to severe injuries to patients. The following ways can harm a patient while under medical treatment:

  • Failure to accurately diagnose a patient which leads to either no treatment given to the patient or wrong treatment administered
  • Failure to provide care to the patient, lack of follow-ups, resulting in recurrence of disease, injury, or death
  • Failure to provide accurate treatment, accurate diagnosis requires proper treatment. The failure to provide a proper course of treatment can make the condition of a patient worse
  • Failure to provide anesthesia properly; A patient can die or suffer serious brain damage if anesthesia is not given properly
  • Failure to perform proper surgery, for instance leaving a sponge inside a patient
  • Failure to provide proper care during delivery; may become fatal for the child and the mother

Each case of medical malpractice is unique. Consulting with an experienced attorney helps in establishing a valid case.

Georgia Medical Malpractice Statute of Limitations:

The statute of limitation in Georgia for medical malpractice is limited to two years. If you do not file a case within two years, you will not be able to sue for financial compensation. In case a foreign object is left in your body during surgery, you are given a one-year time to file a case from the date of discovery.

Get in Touch with a Georgia Medical Malpractice Attorney:

Georgia medical malpractice cases require an experienced attorney to strengthen the case and receive the rightful compensation. If you or your loved one has been injured due to medical malpractice and negligence, you should discuss your legal options through a Georgia medical malpractice attorney. Our attorneys have years of experience in similar cases. We cannot save you from injuries, but we ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve for the pain and injuries you suffered due to the negligence of a medical professional.

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