When you go to a doctor, have a family member in the hospital or fill a prescription for a parent, you expect those providing the care to be competent. You expect their care to help rather than hurt. Unfortunately, and all too often, mistakes are made that can injure you further and leave you struggling for years to come.
Medical standard of care
In Georgia, all medical professionals must provide the care and skill exercised generally by their peers under similar circumstances. When they fail to meet this standard, a duty imposed upon them by law, they can be held liable for medical malpractice.
If you are injured through medical malpractice, the law provides compensation for all of your resulting damages, including your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering. In addition, your loved ones are entitled to recover for the loss of your services and companionship. If medical malpractice results in a death, the patient’s family may recover the “full value” of the life that was lost. Whether it’s a surgical procedure performed incorrectly or an improper diagnosis, a medical malpractice lawsuit gives you a powerful option.
Statute of limitations
If you decide to pursue a claim of medical malpractice, you must do so in a timely manner. Georgia law places a time limit of two years on any such claim, known as the statute of limitations, counted from the date of the injury or death. There are some narrow exceptions to this rule depending on the specific facts involved. It is therefore very important to have an experienced medical malpractice attorney review and analyze your case as soon as possible.