In the U.S., the third leading cause of death is medical malpractice and this is just behind cancer and heart disease. Payouts against medical malpractice in 2012 alone amounted to more than $3 billion averaging to one pay out at an interval of 43 minutes.
What constitutes medical malpractice?
If we cut out the legal jargon and simply turn to the basics, any act that can be established as negligence on the part of the medical provider can be defined as medical malpractice.
Who is a victim of medical malpractice?
A claim for medical malpractice can result when a medical provider’s negligence is the cause of damages or injury to the patient. However, medical negligence cannot be established merely based on a bad outcome. There can even be instances where a health care provider informs the patient that he/she has received negligent medical care from another health care provider and at times the patient himself could be at fault.
Exercise caution
An honest and quick apology is often a good motivation to prevent a complex legal process and arrive at a settlement without a litigation. Typically, insurers are eager to negotiate a direct settlement with the injured even before the patient has an opportunity to understand the full extent of injuries suffered. This way, the insurer can also prevent the injured from hiring an attorney who could potentially obtain a higher settlement through appropriate representations.
Your challenges
Prosecuting a medical malpractice suit successfully is fraught with multiple risks. In the first place, the chances or failure are high and in the second, it could be extremely expensive. The time consumed and stress involved is other attendant factors to be considered. Although some 200,000 patients lose their lives on account of medical malpractice in the US alone, just a fraction of these instances are brought before the Courts of law and even then most of the suits are dismissed without any payment to the injured.
Your financial solutions
If you are a patient who suspects having strong grounds to establish medical malpractice, the first step is to contact an attorney who specializes in this type of litigation. In doing so, you must also appreciate that it could take 2 years or more for a judgment or settlement to be reached. In the meantime, you will have the opportunity to lessen your financial burden by approaching legal funding companies like Pegasus Legal Funding LLC., who could offer you lawsuit cash advance subject to your attorney’s assessment of your lawsuit.
If you or a family member has been a victim of medical malpractice and you like to find out how much money we can get you, Call: 855-FUND–YOU / 855-386-3968
.:About the author:.
James Sheridan is the Contracts Manager at Pegasus Legal Funding LLC and is responsible for the final stage of the funding approval process. James focus and priority is delivering to PLF’s clients the funds they need as quickly as possible
Author:James Sheridan