Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Jacksonville, FL Hospital Negligence Lawyer
Call Us Today 866-608-5529

When our health is compromised by a disease or injury, the first thing we do is seek medical help from a trusted professional so that we can get our lives back on track. Your health is a priority and we have faith that doctors, nurses and all other medical staff will use their years of education and experience to help improve our quality of life. We place our lives in their hands and are confident that they will provide us with the best medical care possible.

Sadly, medical professionals do not always follow the correct steps and procedures needed to detect patients’ illnesses or provide the correct treatments, which could adversely affect their health. When medical practitioners fail to follow the right procedures or acts negligently or careless, then they could be at fault for medical malpractice. Medical professionals are human and can act carelessly and make mistakes that can deliver catastrophic results. When these mistakes are found to have been preventable, then a patient who is left suffering may be the victim of medical negligence. Our Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Whittel & Melton have decades of experience handling medical negligence claims throughout the state of Florida. If you have questions about your potential claim, we will happily meet with you in a free consultation to go over your legal rights and options. Call us now at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.

In the United States there are nearly one million victims of medical malpractice each year and unfortunately, an estimated 250,000 patients die every year because of medical malpractice. This is actually the third leading cause of death in the country just behind cancer and heart disease.

The sad reality is that many victims never realize they were victims of medical malpractice or if they do, they have no idea what their rights are and where to turn for help. Medical malpractice claims are some of the most difficult personal injury claims, so these cases require special skills and strategies that not every injury lawyer has. At Whittel & Melton, we have the experience, resources, and medical and financial experts on hand who can help you and your family recover fair compensation for your suffering. We can develop the best strategy for your situation to prove that the harm you suffered was directly caused by your healthcare provider, which resulted in irreparable damages.

If you or someone you love has suffered from what you suspect was medical malpractice, contact our Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Whittel & Melton at 866-608-5529 or contact us online to request a free case evaluation.

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice happens when a medical care provider does not meet the standard of care required of them, which can result in harm to the patient in the form of serious injuries or even death.

What Does Standard of Care Mean?

Standard of care refers to the standards medical professionals are required to uphold. It is all a medical care practitioner’s duty to provide patients with what their profession and specialization requires of them according to law and agreements. When a health care provider, like a doctor, surgeon, nurse, nurse practitioner, dentist, psychologist, psychiatrist, pharmacist, etc., fails to meet their standard of care then they very well may have breached their duty.

Anyone who has been victim of medical malpractice has the right to file a lawsuit against the responsible doctors, nurses, and/or hospital that may be liable for your damages after suffering from medical malpractice.

At Whittel & Melton we can help you evaluate the validity of your case. If you have doubts about being a victim of medical malpractice, then we still urge you to contact us so that we can help you determine if you have a claim we should file. Your consultation is completely free, so you have nothing to lose. Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online.

What Are the Elements of Medical Malpractice?

• The duty owed to the patient: The first step in establishing medical malpractice is to identify that a doctor-patient relationship existed. If there is no professional relationship established, then there is no duty owed to the patient from the doctor.
• Breach of duty: when healthcare providers deviate from their normal acts or fail to meet their standard of care, then the duty owed to the patient is breached.
• Injury, harm or illness directly caused by the breach of duty: the harm itself is not enough to establish medical malpractice. There must be a doctor-patient relationship, a breach of duty, and this breach of duty must directly correlate to the harm endured by the patient.
• Resulting damages: The victim needs to prove that the harm caused real damage, such as financial damages like medical bills, therapies and lost wages. The victim may also prove the harm caused intangible damages like loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, etc.

A medical malpractice claim may be demanding and exhausting, and include aspects like facing a jury, judges and the defendant’s. We understand that this is not easy and can place a lot of pressure on the victim. We want to remind you that you are not alone in this fight. Our Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Whittel & Melton will be by your side throughout the duration of your case so that we can prepare the best possible claim to help you recover the financial compensation you deserve for all the damages you have incurred.

How Much Time Do You Have to File a Malpractice Case in Florida?

You should be informed that there are strict deadlines to file medical malpractice lawsuits in every state. According to the statute of limitations in the state of Florida, you generally have two years to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. There might be exceptions to the general rule depending on the specifics of your case, but this is why you must act fast and speak to an experienced medical malpractice attorney as soon as you can. The timing of these cases is very important and you can be barred from filing a lawsuit if the statute of limitations has expired.

How Can Whittel & Melton Help You with a Medical Malpractice Claim?

First, we will look at the facts of your case and help you determine if you may be entitled to financial compensation for all the damages you have suffered. We will explain all of your rights and answer all of your questions.

Once we determine that you have a valid malpractice case, we will build a unique and personalized strategy that will fulfill all of your needs. We know that every client and every situation is different and may require different strategies, which is why we give every case the personalized attention it deserves.

You will always have direct contact with our team of attorneys and we will be available to you at all times. We will keep you updated about your case, and have the same goal as you: recovering the full and fair compensation you are entitled to.

Common Examples of Medical Malpractice

At Whittel & Melton, we will evaluate whether you suffered from medical malpractice. A few common examples of medical malpractice claims are:

• Wrongful death
• Birth injuries
• Anesthesia errors
• Failure to diagnose
• Incorrect or unnecessary surgery
• Nursing home abuse
• Hospital negligence

There are many other types of medical negligence that may be considered medical malpractice, like early discharge of a patient, prescribing the wrong dose of drugs, performing unnecessary surgeries on a patient, etc. All types of medical negligence can cause serious harm, injuries or death to a patient.

If you or someone you care about has been the victim of medical malpractice, you should strongly consider speaking with a Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Lawyer at Whittel & Melton who can listen to your side of the story and determine if you and your loved ones have the right to recover financial compensation.

Contact us online or call us today at 866-608-5529 to arrange a free case evaluation. We will meet you with you at our office or any place that is convenient to you, including your home or hospital room, and get the facts of your case. Meeting with us costs you nothing and places you under no obligation to work with us. If you do choose to hire us as your lawyers, then we will not charge you any fees up front and will only collect payment if we are successful in recovering a monetary award or settlement on your behalf.