Tampa Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Tampa, FL Hospital Error Attorney
Call Us Today 813-221-3200

When you are ill or have a medical condition that requires medical care, you go to a doctor or hospital for treatment. You expect your ailments to get better, not worse, but unfortunately when a health care practitioner or a facility makes a mistake or acts negligently, the results can be quite dangerous or even deadly for the patient.

Our Tampa Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Whittel & Melton represent victims of medical negligence throughout Tampa and the state of Florida. We have a proven track record of helping families and injury victims navigate their legal journeys in order to recover financial compensation for their losses. We are dedicated to helping victims of medical malpractice hold those responsible accountable and recover maximum compensation.

We are available in Tampa, throughout Hillsborough County, and we also have multiple offices located throughout the state of Florida. We want to help you if you were the victim of medical malpractice. If you or someone you love was harmed because of medical malpractice, then please contact us online today or call us at 813-221-3200.

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice happens when a healthcare practitioner of any kind, such as a nurse, doctor, hospital, or any other medical professional, provides subpar care that falls below the acceptable standards of care recognized within the medical community, which places the patient at further risk for suffering serious injury or even death. To put it simply, if a healthcare provider fails to act in a similar manner as others in their same profession would in a similar situation, then this person or facility could be liable for damages suffered by the patient through a medical malpractice claim.

What Are Some Examples of Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice can take on various forms. Some of the most common cases involving medical negligence include, but are certainly no limited to:

• Failure to diagnose a medical condition
• Improper diagnosis of a disease
• Failure to treat a certain medical condition properly
• Not listening to a patient and failing to identify their symptoms
• Not reviewing a patient’s medical history before prescribing treatment
• Delaying treatment of a diagnosed medical illness
• Surgical errors
• Prescribing the wrong medications or dosage of medications
• Administering the wrong drugs to a patient
• Not providing adequate postoperative care
• Birth injuries to mother or baby

What Types of Damages Can Be Awarded in a Medical Malpractice Case?

If you have suffered injuries and other damages because of a medical practitioner’s mistakes or negligence, then you may very well be entitled to recover financial compensation. Compensation for medical malpractice damages are there to provide monetary relief to victims for their economic and non-economic losses.

Economic losses that may be recovered in a medical malpractice claim include:

• Past, present, and any future medical bills and costs
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Other damages that result from the medical malpractice suffered

Damages for medical malpractice lawsuits are fact specific, so depending on all of the evidence in your case, you may be entitled to certain damages. Our Tampa Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can investigate the facts surrounding your case and verify what damages we can demand from the at-fault parties.

What is the Time Period to File a Medical Malpractice Claim in Tampa?

Every state has specific time frames allotting how long a victim has to file a medical malpractice claim. Failing to file in this strict time period can mean that you will be barred from filing a claim for compensation. There are exceptions to these time frames, however. If your medical malpractice or negligence claim involves any type of fraud, misrepresentation, or all other kinds of foul play, then you may be given an extension on filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.

In the state of Florida, a medical negligence claim must be filed two years from the time the injury was suffered or when the patient should have learned about the injury, or four years at the latest from when the medical malpractice or negligence took place. Because the window of time to file a claim is so short, our Tampa Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Whittel & Melton strongly encourage you to contact us as soon as you suspect you may have a claim as we can provide you with a free consultation where we can learn more about your case and determine if you have been the victim of medical malpractice. You can call us today at 813-221-3200 to set up a complimentary, no-obligation consultation with us.

Can I File a Medical Malpractice Claim Against My Doctor?

This is a common question our Tampa Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Whittel & Melton get asked. Many patients feel that if they had known the risks involved with their course of treatment that they would have opted out of the medical treatment in the first place. All healthcare practitioners have requirements they must go over with a patient before they can officially agree to a medical procedure. A large component of this is to fully disclose to the patient what the treatment process is and all of the potential risks associated with the procedure. This is called informed consent, and if you were not provided this, then you may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Our Tampa Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can review the facts of your case and determine if your healthcare provider omitted this very important step.

Can I Still Sue For Medical Malpractice Even if I Signed a Consent Form?

This is another good question to ask a medical malpractice attorney when considering if you have a valid claim for medical negligence. Just because you signed a consent form, this does not mean that you have waived your rights to sue for medical malpractice for any unnecessary harm endured as a result of your treatment. You have a right to hold all parties accountable for their negligence. A consent form does not protect a doctor or any other healthcare provider from any negligent actions. If a doctor, facility, or other medical practitioner has not performed a standard level of care on a patient, then they have committed medical malpractice and should be held responsible for their oversight.

What Does it Mean for a Healthcare Provider to Breach the Standard of Care?

Healthcare practitioners, like physicians, surgeons, nurses, nurse practitioners, OB GYN’s, pharmacists, dentists, plastic surgeons, etc. are expected to perform at a standard level of care, which means that they must provide medical care to their patients to the best of their abilities. When they breach this standard of care, then the patient can suffer catastrophic injuries or even death.

Contact Our Inverness Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Whittel & Melton Today

If you or a family member has been the victim of medical negligence at the hands of a healthcare professional in Tampa or elsewhere in the state of Florida, then our Tampa Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can help. We have the experience, resources, and dedication to make sure that you are provided the best legal representation in a time where you need it the most. While we cannot guarantee any results, we can’t promise to make your case a top priority and fight aggressively to hold all negligent parties accountable for their reckless actions.

Our team of medical malpractice lawyers are well versed in all injury matters, including wrongful death, so we know the difficult time you and your loved ones are going through. We want to help guide you through the legal process of filing a medical malpractice lawsuit so that we can recover the maximum financial compensation you deserve. We are available 24/7 to discuss your case with you and are more than happy to answer any questions you have. All of our medical malpractice, injury, or wrongful death cases are handled on a contingency basis, so you will never owe us any fees or payments to get started on your case. We only get paid if we are successful in recovering a monetary settlement or award on your behalf.

With multiple offices located in the state of Florida, our Tampa Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Whittel & Melton represent victims of medical malpractice across Florida. If you would like to find out more information or schedule a completely free consultation with us, we welcome you to call us today at 813-221-3200 or contact us online.